Gift of Reniewed Friendship
by SamuraiPrincess01
Summary: A girl from Chicago comes to Anaheim to live with the Ducks. But behind her tough exterior, there hides a child looking for love. Chapter 3 had been uploaded...if anyone cares.
1. The Arrival

Gift of Renewed Friendship  
by: Calandra Drakeler  
  
First off, I must give away the copyright clutter, yada yada yada. All characters from the Mighty Ducks cartoon, aka, the Mighty Ducks themselves, the Saurians, Phil Polmfeather, and any other character that you might reconize from the series belongs to Disney. However, Jessica and any other character you don't recognoize from the series is copyright me. No using without my permission. The chances of me letting you use my character(s) is VERY high, but it wouldn't hurt to ask. ;)  
Second, in this story there are adult/suggestive themes in this story. Detailed blood and gore, swearing, emotional pain, and tales of child abuse and child neglect. Stuff you wouldn't find in a typical Mighty Ducks episode. If you easily get sick to your stomach by the sight of blood, then I would advise you NOT to read this. If you read this and feel outraged, don't complain; because I warned you AHEAD of time.  
Third, this' a re-write 'Lonliness of the Night'. I personally thought it was lousy. But it was written over two years ago, so what can I say? My writing talents improved over the years. And one more thing. I wanna thank my friends(some internet, some real life) for supporting my ideas.   
Fourth, if any of you readers out there get confused by this, I'll clarify it now; the setting is from two years ago. As in 1999. Enjoy!  
  
  
For the first time in three years, life was peaceful in Anahiem, California. No criminals to fight, no warlords to battle, and no publicity stunts to avoid for the Mighty Ducks. For the first time in a long time, they could relax. And that was exactly what the leader's younger brother, Nosedive Flashblade, wanted to do. After being granted permission, Dive grabbed his helmet, took one of the Duckcycles, and drived towards the mall. As he drove, the wind pushed his sungolden blond hair back, until it flowed freely in the vigourous breeze. He loved cruising on his motorcycle downtown. It made him feel free; like an uncadged bird. After an hour of driving, the mall was finally in sight.  
Nosedive couldn't WAIT to enter Captain Comics and chat with is friends, Thrash and Mookey. He hadn't been there in six weeks, since he had summer school. He scowled at the thought of being reminded of summer school. Dive failed physics, so he had to take it over again in summer school, along with Economics for extra credits for his GPA record. He managed to pass with an A-. The only reason he failed physics was because he was too busy helping to save the world to study as much as he should've.   
Wanting to forget about summer school, Dive parked and locked his motorbike and walked towards Captain Comics. Not to his surprise, he had a friendly and heart-felt greeting from his friends Thrash and Mookey.  
"Dive! Dude!"  
"Yo Thrash!" Nosedive said as he gave Thrash a high five. "Man; long time no see!"  
"Like, tell me about it," Mookey said as she was filing another stack of comics. "Life at the comic store has been like, totally boring since you were banned from coming here while you were in that majorily boring summer school."  
"Tell me about it," Dive groaned. "I HATE summer school! Wildwing was NUTS for making me go there to re-take physics!"  
"Adults," Thrash reminded. "They like, NEVER understand us teenagers. Oh; before I forget," Thrash said as he pulled a pile of comics out of a file. "You, like, have at least ten comics waiting for ya man."  
"Yes! I've been waiting SIX WEEKS to pick these babies up!" Dive said happily as he pulled a twenty dollar bill out of his wallet, which took him a little longer than he expected; his brown pants held the wallet inside really tightly. "Come to me, my paperback children!"  
Everyone laughed at Nosedive's joke. He truly was the king of comedy. Suddenly, a beep went off on Nosedive's communicator. He grunted when he looked inside of it.  
"Damn; gotta leave now," Dive said in a melancholy tone as he grabbed his comics and inserted them into a white plastic bag. "It's almost time for practice. Can't be late."  
"Man; your bro is like, TOTALLY strict," Thrash complained.  
"You can say THAT again," Nosedive said. "See you guys around sometime."  
"Hey; wanna go to the movies sometime?" Mookey asked as she was putting away some more comics. "The Phantom Menace is out. One of the hottest movies in the city."  
"Oh you bet I wanna go!" Dive said excitedly. "Star Wars RULES man! But I don't know when I can go. I'll be sure to tell ya when I can get my big bro's permission."  
"Hurry up and do so man," Thrash said anxiously. "I REALLY wanna see that movie!"  
"Don't worry; he'll most likely say yes," Dive assured Thrash. "See ya guys!"  
Back at the Pond, everyone else was getting ready for practice. Wildwing was just about to grab his catcher and blocker when Nosedive walked into the locker room. As usuall, Wing had a sour look on his face. Even though he had the mask on, Dive was able to see right through it. His brown eyes glowered at him furiously, making Dive feel scared and weak. Wildwing always the ability to do so. Sure, Wing was an okay guy; nice, friendly, and sometimes funny. But now, he was cold, mean, and heartless looking.   
"You're late again, Nosedive."  
"I'm sorry, bro," Dive said as he grabbed his hockey gear. "I had to go the gas station and refuel the duckcycle. It was running low on gas."  
"I don't want to hear ANY of your excuses, Nosedive," Wildwing said in a cold tone. "You KNOW what time you were suppose to be back. You're almost seventeen, little bro. It's time to grow up. If you can't find a way to be here on time when it's time for practice, then I guess I'll just have to forbid you from going to Captain Comics without a shaperone."  
"But bro--"  
"Then this means that you'll be here on time when you're suppose to?"  
"Yes, Wildwing," Nosedive agreed.  
"Good. Now c'mon; time for practice."  
Nosedive grabbed his hockey gear and sighed. There was so much pressure for him to do all of these things he was suppose to do. Be on time, do well in school, do well in the games, and fight the forces of evil. All he wanted to do was be a normal teenage boy while he still could. But he was being pulled away from the comforts of childhood and being tossed into the adult world. He didn't want to leave it so soon. Dive wanted just a few more moments of childhood. As he was thinking over what his expectations were to be and what he wanted instead, he almost got hit in the head with a hockey puck.  
"Whoah! Who shot that?!"  
"Nosedive, pay attention," Mallory complained. "How do you expect to make a shot if your mind isn't on the game?"  
"Sorry. I was just....thinking. About stuff. Stuff you wouldn't understand."  
"Well, now isn't the time to be thinking it over," Duke said. "Mind on the game, Dive. You can concentrate on your 'stuff' when practice's over."  
While the others were concentrating on practice, Nosedive trying to concentrate on practice, Phil Polmfeather walked through the front door. The stocky sports manager with the stocky build and his greased back rooster tail was going through a huge pile of mail.  
"Bills, bills, bills...for once something BESIDES bills?" Phil complained. "Oh wait; finally, something different. Nosedive; you got a letter."  
Phil handed Nosedive an envelope, with an unusual smell. When he put the letter near the beak, he laughed some.  
"Obviously another female fan; I recognize the perfume. Either very rich, or saved up a LOT of money."  
"You get used it after a while," Duke smirked. "I get at least twenty of those every week. My room has many smells now."  
"Then throw out the envelopes!" Mallory shouted at him.  
"Don't fight, you two," Wildwing ordered. "The last thing we need is another argument."  
As Phil went through the rest of the mail, dividing it up for the othes; two more for Nosedive, and one for Wildwing, he came across one last letter. It was very big; about the size of both of his hands. It was also big and yellow. Addressed to him. When Phil tore open the big yellow envelope, his brown eyes went big and his skin went pale. He looked as though he'd seen a ghost and had a heart attack at the same time.  
"Phil?" Wildwing asked as he waved his gloved hand in his face. "You alright?"  
"Hello; Earth to Phil. Come in Phil," Dive said, snapping his fingers. 'This' ground control speaking. Please respond."  
But Phil wouldn't come to his senses and return to normal. His skin was so pale that he looked like a snowman with clothes and hair on him. His hand started to shake and rattle as he examined the letter, bullets of sweat were dripping down his forehead, scaring the living daylights out of him. At last, Phil decided to speak. But his voice was so dry and nervous, the ducks were barely able to make out a single thing he said.  
"Say WHAT, Phil?!" Mallory demanded.  
"It's....a l-letter...f-from....the Chicago C-c-court. I...th-th-think we're...b-being sued."  
"WHAT?!" Duke said, nearly choking on his spit. "But we've never even BEEN to Chicago! Why would they sue us if we never setted foot inside that city of theirs?!"  
"Calm down, Duke," Wildwing said. "It's probably just a hoax of some sort. Besides, Phil said he 'thinks' we're being sued. Meaning he hasn't read the entire letter. Read the rest of it, Phil."  
Phil did what Wildwing was told, but his hand was still shaking slightly. When he finished, however, his facial features were a mixture of relief and surprise. The ducks didn't know what to make of his facial expressions.  
"Well Phil?" Tanya asked. "ARE we being sued or not?"  
"I have GOOD news, and mix news babes," Phil finally said. "The good news is, we're NOT being sued. The mix news is...my niece Jessica is coming over to visit for about a month."  
"What does THAT have to do with the Chicago Court? Why did they hafta tell us?" Tanya asked again.  
"It's a long story," Phil said, handing Wildwing the letter. "You won't believe what the letter says until you read it with your own eyes."  
When Wildwing looked at the letter and examined the fine printing for a few minutes, his eyes bulged out for a few seconds, then returned to normal. The tall white duck cleared his throat and began to read.  
  
" 'Mr. Phillip Dennis Polmfeather,  
As a represenetive of the Chicago Court of Chicago, Illinios, we've currently had a situation which involved a one, Jessica Tina Lockheart. According to our records, the data reveals that her mother, Meranda Brittany Polmfeather Lockheart, is your older sister. As you may already know, Mrs. Lockheart died of breast cancer about six years ago. Marcus Joseph Lockheart, Ms. Jessicca Lockheart's father, has been charged with the crimes of child abuse, child neglection, and attempted murder. Has also charged with the possession of unopened bottles of alcohol and cigarette boxes around his home. On the morning of May fourteenth, police received an urgent call from a neighbor about hearing screaming. When police had arrived, they found Ms. Lockheart lying on the floor, bleeding, nearly dead.   
After she had been rushed to the hospital, the police placed Mr. Marcus Lockheart into custody and made a search around the apartment. When the police finished their search, over one hundred broken bottles of whiskey and at least six hundred beer cans were found in the room. Some were under a torn couch which smelled like a mixture of alcohol and vomit, and other particles were either in the sink or lying around the house. Marcus Lockheart's sentence was a lifetime in jail, with no chance of parol. This way, Ms. Lockheart will be safe from more attempts on her life.  
After Mr. Lockheart's sentence was decided, the jury had a debate over the matter of what was to be done with Ms. Jessica's life now that her mother was dead and her father in prison. After two weeks, we have come to our decision. Ms. Jessica Lockheart is to be moved to Montana to live with her Uncle Robert Polmfeather, who owns a horse ranch with his wife, Ming Polmfeather, and daughter and son, Karla and Jonathin Polmfeather. But Ms. Lockheart is too badly injured to be moved to such a great distance. So the jury decided to have her stay in your city and facilities. Only for a temporary time, I assure you; no more than a month. After Ms. Lockheart has recovered from her near fatal injuries, she shall be moved to Montana. We appreciate your cooperation in this matter. Thank you, Mr. Polmfeather.  
Dannel Sampson.' "  
After Wildwing finished reading the letter, the Pond was silent. No sound could be heard, except for Duke's heavy breathing. Finally, Nosedive couldn't take the dreaded silence anymore. He opened up his big beak again, in hopes of getting some attention from the others.  
"I'm surprised it took them that long to save someone like her," Dive blurted out. "They should've done so like...five or six years ago!"  
"Nosedive!" Wildwing bellowed at him.  
"Don't yell at me; it's the truth!"  
"How much longer will it be until your niece arrives Phil?" Mallory asked him to keep Wildwing from lecturing Nosedive more.  
"According to the forum," Phil asked, taking it back from Wildwing to look. "About...one week."  
"What doe she look like?" Duke asked.   
"If she's related to Phil, probably big and bulky," Nosedive joked. He then recieved a slap on the back of the head from Tanya. "Ouch! That hurt Tanya!"  
"Well you deserved it," Tanya lectured. "Seriously Phil; what does....Jessica right? Well...what does she look like?"  
"Well...," Phil thought, pulling a picture out of his wallet. "Here's a picture of her. But it's out of date by ten years. She'll probably look a LOT different than what she looked like last time."  
Phil loaned the picture of his teenage niece to the ducks. Nosedive grabbed it from Phil before Wildwing or Duke could get to the picture.  
"Nosedive! That was pretty selfish of you!" Duke practically yelled at Dive.  
"Hey! You and Wildwing get first dibs on everything. Let me have it for once," Dive complained.  
"Let him have his way for now," Wing said. "It's not like we say yes to everything he wants anyway."  
When Nosedive examined the picture, he didn't know whether or not to think Jessica looked absolutely adorable, or really boyish and dirty. Her brown hair was tied in shoulder length pigtails, and her green eyes were big and shiny. Like a puppy's eyes; big, green, puppy dog eyes. But there were patches of dirt on her cheeks, and her white shirt and blue overalls were kind of dirty. Probably from playing in the dirt with friends of hers. But there was something about that smile of hers; something about the way she looked in the picture.   
"Well?" Phil asked.  
"She's cute," Nosedive answered. " VERY cute."  
"Let me see!" Mallory said, grabbing the photo from Dive. "Awww! She's so adorable!"  
"Give me that!" Duke said, grabbing the picture. "Heh; cute kid. A little dirty, though." Duke realized what he just said. "Her clothes and face, I mean. They're covered in dirt patches."  
"She's a tomboy," Phil reminded them.  
"Heh; I used to be boyish," Mallory said. "Until I entered adulthood."  
While everyone was discussing the matter over, Dive skated away from the group to the middle of the ice rink. Unknown to the others, he still had the picture of Jessie with him. There was something about her appearance. Even with the dirt all over her face and clothes, she was still adorable. Probably the most adorable human on Earth. Even if was only a picture on what she looked like ten years ago. Her appearance could be very differnent this day. But still....she was still cute.  
He couldn't tell what it was about her. It was probably her green puppy-dog eyes. Or her brown hair, tied in pigtails. Whatever it was, it gave him a strange feeling. But what WAS that feeling? It didn't make any sense to him. Then again, nothing in his life ever DID make sense......  
  
~ ~  
  
One whole week passed by since the Pond received news on Jessica's arrival. During that week, everyone was using the spare time they had in preparing an extra room for her temporary stay(Phil said that the place he lived in didn't have enough room for another person; only enough for one). The ducks sweated and toiled in clearing out an old stroage room that was never used in the longest time. Then they had to go through the process of clearing away any spider webs and dirt left in the room. Next, they had to paint over the walls with a fresh coat of white paint; along with adding tiles to the floor. Finally, the easy part came: adding the furnitue.  
After that week passed, the day finally arrived. Today was the day that Jessica was going to temporarily move into the Pond. Phil was filing away important documents; either law suits he prepared, or bills that were in need of being payed. While he doubled checked a phone bill to see if the amount he was due to pay was correct or not, his eyes glanced over at the clock. Phil then quickly stuffed the bill into his brief case and quickly hussled out the door. As he hurriedly walked to the front doors, the ducks had just started practicing again.  
"What's with the sudden rush, Phil?" Duke asked just before he passed the puck to Mallory. "In a hurry to get a law suit filed again?"  
"Not today," Phil said. "You all know that today IS a special day, right?"  
"Ummm...what day would that be?" Tanya asked.  
"Don't tell me you forgot! I'll give you a hint; she's related to my late older sister."  
Everyone was silent. Everyone looked at each other for answers, but no reply came. Phil started to become VERY agictated.  
"How could you guys have forgotten already?!"  
"I remember!" Nosedive said. "It's that girl Jessica, right? She's coming over here!"  
"You're right!" Duke said, slapping his forehead.  
"How could I have forgotten?!" Mallory asked herself.  
"Glad ONE duck remembered today was the arrival of my niece," Phil said. "I'll be back from the airport in an hour or two with her. And one more thing guys. She might not be such a nice person at first. But give her some time to adjust to life here, okay? I'm sure if you give her enough time, you'll come to like her."  
"Phil, we live with the most hyper kid in the universe and a walking raging volcano here," Duke smirked. "I'm sure we can handle a fouteen year old girl from the streets."  
"Hyper kid?!"  
"Raging volcaono?!" Mallory yelled, grabbing Duke by his jersey. "What the hell is THAT supposed to mean?!"  
"My point proven."  
"That's enough guys!" Wildwing commanded, skating right between the two. "I swear; you two act more immature than toddlers. I expect you to behave better when Jessica comes here."  
"Yes Wildwing," Duke and Mallory said at the same time. Nosedive worked hard to surpress a laugh....which earned him a glare form Mal and Duke.  
"And they call ME dumb," Phil grunted as he walked out of the hockey stadium.  
"Don't think I didn't hear that Phil!" Mallory yelled, waving her hockey stick at him.  
Nosedive looked at his older brother.  
"How much do you want to bet Mallory's going to start a fight with the new kid?"  
  
~ ~  
  
The air port was crowded that day. Many tourists from states like Maine, Texas, and even New York were swarming in the building. Phil tried to squeeze past the tourists...only to have an obese eldery woman accidently knock his brief case out of his hand with her fat tricep, onto the floor. The stocky manager mumbled something about insulting the buisness people as he bent over and pulled his briefcase off the floor. He walked further down the aisles, until he came across aisle F-21.  
Ahh, HERE it is, Phil thought(Yes, readers. Even idiots like Phil Polmfeather can think ;) as he sat on an available seat. Any minute now Jessica should be arriving here. It's been ten years since I last saw her. What does she look like now?  
Phil tapped his fingers on his briefcase lightly as he waited for the plane from Chicago to arrive in Anahiem. He sat right between a man chatting endlessly on a cell phone while typing furiously on a laptop, and another elderly woman; snoring in her seat loudly.  
The sooner she arrives, the sooner I can get out of this place. It's as crazy as a zoo here!  
Phil released an exasperated sigh, glancing at his watch. It read eleven thirty a.m. He tapped on his brief case again, trying to pass the time by. The aisles become more and more crowded with tourists preparing to board planes. People left and sat down in open seats. The noise level became louder and louder. Phil rubbed his fingers against his temple, trying to handle the stress. What he wouldn't give to be out of there right now; away from all the chaos. He forgot how much he hated going to and from airports. All that was there was noise and snobby flight attendants.  
"Attention passengers," a flight attendant with red hair tied in a bun said though a microphone like recorder. "Flights from Chicago to Anaheim has now arrived. Please prepare to board. Thank you, and we hope you enjoy Southwest American Airlines."  
Finally! Phil thought. She's here! Now we can soon get out of this zoo!  
The plane tunnel began pouring out billions of tourists. Some old. Some young. Some with and without wrinkles. Phil glanced at them briefly, but they were of little concern to him. He was here to get his niece, then he would leave the airport as quickly as possible. But where WAS she?  
Out of the blue, a young girl stepped out. A small girl. Her height made her look like an eleven year old, but her facial expression and a certain air around her told people she was really fourteen. Her face was bruised all over; her left eye was all black and blue, and her right eyelid had a big red gash on it. She looked like she went through hell and somehow survived to tell the tale about it. Cuts around her face were red; red from dryed up blood. Her lower lip was all swollen; it looked she had to have stitches on mouth. The expression her face told her she was a born survivor, and that she was tired from the painful hardships in her old life. It told people, no; BEGGED people, to save her from hell. Her body was all bruised and scarred as well. On her arms, she had several marks; cuts from glass, whip marks from a belt, and the classic bruises.  
Her white t-shirt was shredded in many areas. The collar was torn off, and the sleeves were torn up to nearly her elbows. The stomach area was badly ripped up. If she raised her arms up, people would see her breasts....if she had any. The shirt was stained with colors of red, and a separate mixture of green and blue. The red could be recognized as blood. The green and yellow mixutre....no one wanted to guess what it was.  
Her jeans were in no better condition than her shirt. Her inner thigh areas were torn all over. On her left leg, her knee area had a big hole in it, along with more shredded areas below her knee. On her right leg, her entire leg area was all torn to shreds from the knee down. Her legs were severly scarred as well. Bruised and badly cut everywhere. And her shoes were ripped right at the very front, so her socked toes were hanging out.   
Phil recognized her immedietly.  
"Jessica!"  
The young girl turned her head, and smiled slightly. She'd recognized the chubby man with the rooster tail anywhere. Her eyes, which were stone cold, started to brim with tears. Tears of joy and overwhelment.  
"Uncle Phil!"  
Young Jessica ran to Phil. He bent down slightly, then lifted her into his arms, and twirled her into the air for a few brief seconds.  
"Welcome to Anaheim, kiddo!" Phil said, setting Jessie onto the floor. "I haven't seen you in ten years. You've grown!" Phil brushed a loose strand of Jessie's bangs out of her face. "My God! What did that bastard father of yours DO to you?!"  
"I.....I don't wanna talk about it, Uncle," Jessie said.   
"I'm sorry Jessie," Phil apologized, hugging her tightly. My poor little niece. You deserve much better than what your father put you through. "Well, let's get the rest of your luggage and get the heck out of hear, okay?"  
"I don't HAVE any other luagge Uncle Phil," Jessie corrected. "You see....all of my clothes are in my blue bag here. Mommy didn't have enough money to buy a lot of clothing for me; we barely had enough to pay for rent and food."  
"I see," Phil said, trying to hide the horror in his face. I'll bet the man that Meranda called a 'husband' used it all on alcohol and those cancer sticks of his! "I don't have enough time right now, but.....tomorow we'll go shopping fo a brand new set of clothes for you. And.....a new pair of shoes." Phil noticed that even her socks were beginning to wear out. "In the mean time, are you hungry?" He sighed sadly when Jessie vigourously nodded her head. Poor kid; she was probably starved all the time.. "How about we stop at Burger King on the way back to where I work and grab a bite to eat?"  
  
~ ~  
  
"Hello. Welcome to Burger King," a male voice said through an order box. "Can I take your order?"  
"Yes," Phil said through the order box. "I'll take one garden salad with a large water and--" Phil paused and looked at Jessie. "What would you like to eat Jessie?"  
"Ummmm......that does that number three taste like?"  
"And one number three with cheese," Phil said to the box.   
"The number three comes with a drink, sir."  
"Hold on a sec," Phil said. "What would you like to drink, Jessie? They have all types of sodas. Root beer, Dr. Pepper, fruit punch, Coke--"  
"I'd like to try a coke please."  
"Okay. With one coke," Phil said to the order box.  
"Anything else?"  
"Hold on a sec," Phil said. "Anything else ya want, Jessie? This is your treat."  
"Can I have a slice of that oreo cake?"  
"Sure. And one oreo cake slice," Phil said again to the order box.  
"Okay. One garden salad, one water, one number three with coke, and one oreo cake slice. That'll be....nine fifty."  
These fast food restaraunts are becoming more and more expensive by the minute, Phil throught bitterly as he drove up to the window to pay for his food.  
"Thank you and come again," said a teenage hispanic boy, handing Phil two bags.  
Jessie smiled at the boy and waved to him. Sensing this, Phil immedietly drove away.  
"I don't want you doing that, Jessie. The boys here only have their minds on one thing only."  
"Guns and blood?"  
She hadta suffer through all that?! "I was thinking more on the lines, of.....sex."  
"Oh....but all I did was wave 'hi' to him. That's not a bad thing......is it?"  
"I guess not. I just don't want you exposed to that stuff just yet."  
"Okay Uncle Phil," Jessie said. Doesn't he realize I can take care of myself? I've been doing so for like, nearly seven years.   
Phil drove his station wagon right to the park, and parked it right in the small parking lot on the hill.  
"Be careful not to make a mess while you eat, okay Jessie?"  
"Ok Uncle."  
Phil carefully took his bag and pulled out his garden salad. As he chewed on his first bite, he glanced at Jessie. She was chomping down on her whopper like she had never eaten in years! Some of the tomato juices slipped out of her burger and dripped down her arm while she took fast and large bites. Phil looked at Jessie in complete shock. This kid was an eating machine! Two minutes had barely passed by, and she had already wolfed down her double whopper with cheese. She then started wolfing down her french fries; five at a time. Within thirty seconds, they dissapeered without a single trace. Phil was in total horror. How could she eat so fast?! She then started gulping down her soda. Phil knew then he had to step in.  
"Jessie?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Why are you eating so fast?"  
"I was hungry."  
"That was clear, but....you need to learn to stop eating like that. You'll make yourself sick!"  
"I'll remember that in the future," Jessie said, pulling out her oreo cake. She made sure to eat it slowly so Phil wouldn't lecture her....again.  
"Didn't he feed you?"  
"Huh? Who, Uncle?"  
"Your dad. Didn't he make sure to keep you fed?"  
"Ha!" Jessie mock laughed. "That's a good one, Uncle Phil. No really; you should become a comedian."  
"Jessica; be serious. Did your dad make sure to feed you or not?"  
"The only thing he made sure to feed was his liver when he gluged down his whiskey and beer."  
She had to go through that for over six years?! "Well, that's no excuse for making a little piggy out of yourself. Let's head to my work place now," Phil said, putting his half eaten salad away. "I have some employees I want to introduce you to."  
"Okay." Jessie took the rim of her shirt to her lips. She was about to wipe her mouth off with the tip of her shirt when she noticed the glare Phil gave her. He handed her a small wad of napkins. Jessie hesitantly took the napkins and gently wiped her mouth with them.  
"I don't care if you've lived in a gutter for nearly seven years, Jessica," Phil lectured. "You do NOT wipe your mouth with your SHIRT after you eat. You use a NAPKIN."  
"Sorry," Jessie murmered.  
"One; you talk nicer than that," Phil lectured again. "Number two; wipe your arms down. You've got tomato juice dripping down your skin and onto your clothes."  
"Yes Uncle." Jessie used her meat juiced stained napkins to wipe down her tomato juice stained arms. Why does he make a big deal about the stupidest things? So I get tomato juice on my shirt. Big deal! It was messed up in the beginning! "What're their names?"  
"Who?"  
"The people that work for you? What're their names?"  
"Lemme put it this way. Have you ever heard of the Mighty Ducks?"  
  
~ ~  
  
After an hour's worth of driving, Phil's old station wagon parked right in front of the Anaheim Pond.  
"That's a work place, Uncle? It looks more like a mansion to me!"  
"Heh; I wish," Phil said. "Welcome to the Anaheim Pond; the second biggest attaction here in Anaheim, California."  
"What's the number-one attraction?"  
"Disneyland."  
That doesn't surprise me in the least, Jessie thought. "You think I can go there sometime while I'm here?"  
"Sure; I guess. You want to meet the others or not?"  
"Okay." I wanna see what these snobby loosers look like anyway.  
Inside, Jessie felt a slight chill around her body. She forgot that the Pond was a hockey stadium, so of course there would be the chill of ice around one. But she didn't imagine it would feel THIS cold! What was it about ice that fascinated people anyway? And those noises! Where were those strange noises coming from? They sounded like something sharp seeping through the ice. Blades? Swords? She didn't want to imagine what it was.   
When she saw a bunch of aliens skating on the ice, shooting a round black object to each other, a confused look came upon her worn-out face. She didn't know that the Mighy Ducks were........DUCKS!!!  
Whoah; they ARE aliens! Jessie thought. Wicked cool! I always DID believe aliens existed in our universe. Now I know for sure!  
"Hey; Phil!" a gray feathered mallard with the Brooklyn accent shouted while stopping on his skates. "Who's the squirt?"  
"SQUIRT?!" Jessie's anger had now flipped over to homicide mode. She cracked her knuckles and pushed her sleeves to her shoulders as she stormed to the rink. "You take that back unless you want a knuckle sandwich, bub!"  
"Hey; hey. EASY Jessie," Phil urged, putting his hands on his niece's shoulders. "Remember that talk we had on not picking fights with my employees? Let's try to enforce that now, okay?"  
By now, all six of the hockey players had skated towards the rim of the rink.  
"This her, Phil?" Tanya asked.  
"Yep. Jessica; meet my employees," Phil said. He gave a small cough when the others glared daggers at him. "Who...have on more than one ocassion, saved my skin....even though I never deserved it," he muttered.  
The glares vanished. Jessie gave a strange look to the others. What was the glare all about?  
"Hi; I'm Wildwing Flashblade," Wildwing greeted first. "Nice meeting you, Jessica."  
"Ah; YOU'RE the leader, eh?" Jessie asked. "The world's biggest and crankiest Scrooge. Also the type that doesn't have a sense of humor."  
"Well....humor's not my strong point," Wildwing gritted through his teeth, trying to keep his temper in check. What an annoying little brat!  
"Ehh...Tanya Vanderflock. Nice to meet you," Tanya said, shaking Jessie's hand.  
"Whoah; I LOVE your hair-style!" Jessie lied, stiffling a laugh. "Is that where all your brains are hidden?"  
"Hey!"  
"Kidding," Jessie assured, hands up in self defense.  
"Name's Duke. Duke L'Orange," Duke smirked, trying to amuse the kid by his 'charms.' Jessie started laughing harder than he expected her to do. "I didn't know my little 'James Bond' skit was so colorful to ya, kid."  
"Do you know what your name means in French? Duck in orange sauce!" Jessie laughed, doubling over from laughter. Duke gritted his teeth together, while firmly grapsing his hands on his hockey stick to keep himself from grabbing her by the throat.  
She's a kid; let her be. She's a kid; let her be...BUT SHE'S DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!   
"Hi! I'm Nosedive Flashblade; Wing's younger brother. But the others call me Dive," Dive gretted, smiling at her. Heh; she's cuter than the picture. Hold it; why am I thinking of her this way?! STOP THINKING OF HER LIKE THAT, MAN!!!!!!!  
"Brother? How? No offense, but....you don't look like him." Alright! A teenager just like me! Staying here might not be so bad after all. And for a duck...he's kind of cute.  
"You like to ask a lot of questions that annoy people, don't you?" Dive asked.  
"My way of nature." Jessie then turned to Mallory. "And you're----"  
"Mallory McMallard. Puckworld Special Forces; General-Lutenit, First Class, Division C," Mallory informed formally, pulling out her military id.  
"Jessica Lockheart; I don't give a hang."  
"You dare to insult Puckworld Special Forces?!"  
"No...I'm just pointing out that your special title doesn't impress me. I mean, what good's the title if you don't have the skills to back it up? That's MY theory."  
"You want backup?! I'll GIVE you back-up," Mallory threatened, grabbing Jessie by her shirt and pulling her towards her face. "One more comment like that and--"  
"You'll WHAT? I beat up muscle-bound bums at least three times your height! You can't beat ME."  
"THAT DOES IT!" Mallory screamed, throwing her hockey stick the floor...along with her helmet and hockey gloves. "WHEN I GET THROUGH WITH YOU--"  
Mallory tried to throw a punch at Jessie, but Grin and Wildwing held her back.  
"Calm yourself, my friend," Grin urged. "Reach deep within your soul, and re-claim the quiet and patient Mallory that you once were."  
"That doesn't work on me, Grin!" Mallory shouted. "But a good punch to that little bitch's scrawny body--"  
"SCRAWNY BITCH?!" Jessie had enough. She cracked her knuckles yet again. "Gimme a pair of skates and we'll settle the score right now!"  
"Umm; no, I don't think so," Wildwing said. "We need to get back to practice....as soon as we can get Mallory calmed down." Even with Grin's help, Wildwing was having trouble keeping her still.  
"Um, c'mon Jessie," Phil suddenly said. "It's time I showed you your room."  
"Okay. Lead the way."  
As Phil and Jessie walked up the stairs, Dive couldn't help but stare off at her. A strange feeling overpowered him. He didn't know what it was, though. She didn't seem at all what he expected. Sure; he expected her to be some-what boyish. Her early year picture clearly showed that. But he never expected her to be the way she was right now; out-spoken and rebellious. He kinda liked that in a girl. He hated it when females were all girlish and flirty. He didn't mind flirting with them every once in a while, but he never considered dating any of them. Too idiodic for his taste. His world broke apart when he felt Tanya tapping his shoulder.  
"Dive? I, uh, don't mean to burst your little dream world. But, uhh..." she pointed directly to Mallory. Mallory was now breaking off from Wildwing's grasp and skated towards the rink door. Duke had to grab her by the ankles to keep her from trying to get out. But he had very little luck. Trying to hold Mallory down was like trying to stop a big earthquake.  
"Duke; let me go right now!"  
"Not until you calm down, sweetheart!"  
"Not until I get my hands on that little squirt and turn her inside out!!!!!"  
Mallory was now trying to claw her way to the rink. Wildwing and Grin had to pin Mallory's arms down as well. Nosedive and Tanya looked at Mallory with complete fear, then back at each other; the same horrorific look on their faces.  
"Uhhhhhhh....I'll go get the tranquilizer." Nosedive then skated off.  
"Good idea."  
  
~ ~  
  
Jessie looked back and saw Mallory pinned to the ice. She was told that the red-head would have a bad temper, but she never imaged it would be at the point where three men would have to control her. Even though Jessie couldn't see well from so high above, she could tell that the guys were having a hard time keeping Mallory under control. Jessie fought to control her laughter. Phil shot Jessie a look.   
"What?"  
"Did you always start fights back in Chicago?"  
"No. Of course not, Uncle. Fights found ME. NEVER the other way around."  
"Just don't do it again, okay? I don't want you or anyone else here to get a broken limb on your visit here."  
"Okay, Uncle Phil." Wasn't MY fault! The red-head just blew a fuse. All I did was tell her that it takes more than a fancy title to impress people!  
Phil was glad that Jessie promised not to try and pick anymore fights from then on...although he didn't realize that she wasn't going to be able to KEEP that promise.   
"Well...how about I show you to your new room?"  
"I'm staying here? In a hockey stadium?" Now THAT is MAJORILY beyond weird.  
"I want you to be somewhere where I know you'll be safe. What safer place than here?"  
"There IS no such thing as a safe place, Uncle. I figured that out when I was eight years old."  
"First rule here; you NEVER talk back to people that way. Second, this is the safest place you can hope there is to be. Trust your uncle, okay?"  
"Okay." This doesn't feel right.  
Phil pressed a type of entry code into some secret high tech code puncher attached to the wall. Two doors slid open. Jessie's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. That was the first time she had EVER seen sliding doors that worked like THAT. Phil lead Jessie into her new room. When she saw what her room looked like, she fought to keep her jaw from dropping to the ground.  
It looked like a dream come true! The beds, the walls, the windows; EVERYTHING! The walls were a cream puff white. The floors were covered with a beautiful green rug. The bed was so big and huge; bigger than Jessie's entire body from head to toe! And so wide. It looked big enough to hold two more people vertically. A bookshelf, desk, and computer completed the room. It wasn't fancy, but it was better than what she had to settle for in the past.  
"Wow," Jessie whispered, examining the place as she walked in. When she sat down on the bed, she immedietly jumped back up. "That thing tried to swallow me!"  
"Yeah. Those water beds can do that to ya."  
"Cool! A water bed!" Jessie immedietly jumped onto her bed and started bouncing on it. "Wee! This is FUN!!!!"  
"Jessie, PLEASE stop bouncing on the bed. You'll break it. Those are VERY expensive."  
"Okay," Jessie said, stopping the bouncing.  
"Tomorrow we'll go out and get you some brand new clothes. And some new shoes wouldn't be a bad idea either." Phil pointed to Jessie's shoes. Jessie looked down, and noticed that her toes were peaking out of her feet. "See you tomorrow morning then."  
"Okay, Uncle."  
When Phil left, Jessie bounced back onto the bed, lying down. She sighed dreamily. This was PARADISE. All of her life, Jessica had dreamed of sleeping in a room like this. A comfortable bed, and walls that were't filled with cracks and holes where spiders and cockroaches would come. Jessie inhaled the air. It smelled so fresh; so clean. Unlike the air she grew in. So polluted; filled with the smell of booze and cigarette smoke. Jessie took a pillow and threw it into the air, catching it with her bare finger tips.  
It wouldn't be too hard to get used to a life like this, Jessie thought, pressing the pillow against her face. Comfy bed, silk and cotton blankets, soft pillows. This is HEAVEN! When Jessie realized what she thought, she threw the pillow against the wall. Don't be an idiot, Jessica. You're not staying here. You're only gonna be here for a month. Then you'll be shipped off to Montana. That's the life orphans like you live; being moved from place to place.   
Jessie sniffed the air again. Her face formed a disgusted look. She stared down at her clothes, and cringed in disgust even more. Maybe I should take a shower before I make anymore decisions. But where IS one?  
Jessie noticed a closet, and looked inside. Only thing that was in there were old rags. They looked better than her OWN clothes. They weren't acutally RAGS; more like hand-me-downs. She grabbed a gray shirt and a pair of baggy blue jeans she found inside. They had a small hole in the knee cap, but that was better than the holes that were in HER jeans.  
Near the end of the room, Jessie found another door in the room. One she didn't know about. When she opened it up, she saw a bathroom. A small one; only a bathtub and shower mix with a sink. But it was HER bathroom. She noticed two towels haning there. On the rink of the bathtub, were three bottles of some type of soap; shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.   
She opened the bottle of the body soap and looked down into it. Had such a different color from what she was used to. It looked so white, liquidy and....soft. No red residue from blood, or black ashes from the junkyards and rusty gates she had to dodge and climb over and over again. Jessie squeezed the white liquid onto her fingertips. It felt so soft and smooth against her skin. She brought the white substance to her nose, and gently inhaled the scent. So refreshing; smelled so sweet. Like vanilla.  
Jessica looked at the knobs her shower room, and found one labeled 'H'. She gently turned the knob, letting the water fall down the shower head like rain drops from the sky. She brushed her hand over the water, but immedietly drew it back. The water felt so hot; nearly burned her skin. Quickly, Jessie turned the knob labeled 'C'. By then, the water became a nice temperature. Grabbing a comb for her hair, Jessie quickly took off her dirty clothes. Her shirt tore, but Jessie didn't care; it was nothing but an old and dirty rag.   
She then grabbed her green scrunchie and pulled it off her head. Her brown hair fell directly down from her shoulders to the rim of her waistline. Jessie played with a small strand of her hair, letting the hairs sift through her fingers. Even though her hair was her prettiest feature, she hated it. It held her back; showed that she was feminine when she was everything BUT a female. Jessie stepped into the shower,and allowed the warm water to smother her body. It felt so smooth and soft against her skin. So gentle and silky. And so WARM. Unlike back at home. The water was always cold back at home. Cold like a glacier. Always made her sick.  
Jessie squeezed the vanilla scened soap into the loofah ball she found hanging on the shower knob and worked up a lather. Gently but firmly, she began to scrub her skin clean. The dirt and dried blood from years ago began to wash away from her skin, down into the drain. Jessie felt that she was trying to scrub off more than just the blood and dirt. She wanted to wash away all the pain and harsh memories she suffered through. But she knew better than to hope for that. Nothing ever went away so easily. Especially her pain and suffering. The scrubbing stung her wounds, but she ignored the stinging. Jessie scrubbed harder harder. She felt it was nothing compared to the pain she had been through as a child.  
The warm water soaked her hair as she washed the light brown locks. More dirt ran down into the drain. The shower droplets massaged her head as she rubbed the conditioner into her brown hair. It felt strange for Jessie. It seemed like only yesterday to her when she was in Chicago; running for her life, getting into fights with local gangs, and trying to survive her drunken father. Now she was in a nice home; a hockey stadium to be exact, washing herself in warm water. Jessie never expected to be staying in a hockey stadium. But compared to life on the streets, this was the better alternative.  
When Jessie turned the shower water off, a steamy fog covered the entire bathroom. Jessie merely ignored it as she put on her new clothes. The gray shirt was very baggy on her; almost touched her mid thighs. Her jeans were baggy as well. But Jessie loved the new clothes; they felt comfortable on her. Jessica rolled the jean leggings up to her knees, so they wouldn't flop around everytime she tried to walk. Even when the jeans touched the cuts on her legs, they didn't sting or hurt her.  
Jessie flopped onto the bed again, and stared up at the ceiling. Her hair, even though tied back into a braided bun, was still wet. Yet it didn't soak the pillows. She grabbed her blue knapsack, and began to dig through it. She pulled out her teddy bear. Even though the teddy bear's arm was falling apart, one eye was midding, and a big chunk of its fur on its leg was gone, Jessie never wanted to get rid of it. The teddy was the last gift her mother gave to her before she died. Jessie held the teddy close. Even though it wasn't fitting for her image; a tomboy hugging a teddy, she didn't care. It was her life.  
Another thing she lifted out from her knapsack was a silver necklace. The silver locket, with a gold eagle encrusted in the center, shone like the sun in the light of her room. Jessica touched the eagle gently, her index finger tracing the delicate lining of the bird.   
  
~Flashback~  
  
"Jessica!" A woman called out in a run down kitchen.   
The lady had brown hair that flared out at the shoulders. Her eyes, a beautiful azul blue, brimmed with joyful tears. Her full pink lips parted into a smile.  
"Mommy!"  
A small girl ran towards the woman from the doorway. Her chin length brown pigtails flew back and forth as she ran towards her mother. Her white T-shirt, covered by a black windbreaker, was covered in ketchup and sweat stains. Her blue jeans had a small hole on the knee-cap area, and her left shoe had a very tiny hole at the toe area. She had the biggest, most beautiful and innocent looking green eyes. Meranda gently knelt down and scooped up the four year old girl into her arms, hugging her tightly.  
"Happy birthday, sweetie," Meranda said. "How was your day in school?"  
"It lot of fun!" Jessie said, smiling widely. "Everyone sang to me in circle time. At end, teacher gave me cupcake with candle on top. It had chocolate frosting and rainbow sprinkles. It was yummy!"  
Meranda smiled, ruffling Jessie's bangs slightly. She then tilted her chin up towards her, staring into her big green eyes.  
"I'm so glad you had a good day in school today honey. Oh. I have a surprise for you. Close your eyes."  
Jessie's smile widened. She knew that when her mom said 'close your eyes', it meant she was going to receive a present. Jessie shut her eyes tightly, covering them with her hands to humor her mother. What could the gift be? Chocolate? Candy was one of Jessie's favorite things in the world. Or maybe it was a basketball! Basketball was one of Jessie's favorite sports. Even though she couldn't play it very well, on the count she was at such a small size, she was still able to dribble well. Or it could be--  
"You can open your eyes now, Jessica."  
Jessie opened her eyes, removing her hands from her eyelids. She noticed a small oval shaped silver locket, dangling from a silver chain. Encrusted in the middle of the locket was a golden eagle. Jessie sqealed when she looked at it.  
"What a pretty necklace!"  
"This is a type of locket, Jessica," Meranda said. "It's been passed down to many generations of females from the time much before your Grandma Josephine Lilison was born. My mother gave it to me when I was young girl. Now I'm giving it to you."  
"Thank you, mommy!"  
The two ladies hugged tightly, Meranda gently rocking Jessie back and forth in her embrace.  
"I love you, Jessica." Meranda kissed her forehead. "And I always will."  
  
~Present Day~  
  
Jessica layed down on her pillow, face first. She cried heavily into the pillow. Her tears stained the sheet, creating a big puddle. She then turned her face up to breathe. Jessie sniffled and sobbed heavily. Tears freely ran down her cheeks. Some of them entered her earlobe, huring the inside slightly. But Jessie didn't care about that at all. Nothing could compare with the pain she felt when her mother died. She never even got the chance to say good-bye to her when she died.  
"Mommy," she whined.   
Jessie dug into her blue knapsack, and pulled out a worn-out picture frame. Inside it was the picture of her mother. Meranda Polmfeather Lockheart was the most beautiful woman Jessie had ever known. She had the most beautiful brown hair, flaring at her shoulders. Her eyes were like jewels; azul jewels. Her face and hair were her most beautiful features.  
Jessica traced her fingers along the cheeks of her mother's miniature portriat. Tears fell from her cheeks and onto the picture. Luckily, the picture was protected by glass, so the water didn't harm the photograph.  
"I miss you, Mommy," Jessie cried, wrapping the blankets around her. She placed the picture on a desk near her bed, Meranda's face facing her own. Jessie hugged her teddy bear tightly as she stared at her late mother's picture one last time. Her eyes were red like a rabbit's, and they were all puffy like mushrooms. And her cheeks were stained from all of the tears running down from her eyes. "Why did you have to die on me, though? Why did you leave me with daddy? Why? Why did you leave me all alone?"  
Jessie huddled her knees to her waist, the right side of her face lying against the pillows. When she closed her eyes, more tears fell from her closed eyelids. The damp spot on her pillow grew bigger and bigger. Even though sleep overpowered her, her tears continued to fall from her face. Nothing could stop Jessica from crying. Her whole world was shattered; everything that meant something to her was gone forever. Now she was all on her own. At least, that's what she chose to believe.  
I'm all alone now, Jessica thought, falling to sleep. Everything that means something to me is gone forever. My whole world is shattered; cancer has stolen my mother from me. Death has stolen my only three friends from me. My own father doesn't love me. No one loves me. Everyone hates me! I have no friends; no family. I'm all alone...in a world of strangers, vultures, serial killers, and thieves.  
~Flashback~  
  
Jessica sat down next to the mattress, her knees huddled to her waist. Resting on her thighs was a thin binder. The cover was torn halfway off, and the lid of the binder was hanging on by a thread; so to speak. Jessie stared at her arithmatic homework. So many hard problems to figure out. Areas of squares; circumferences of circles. No one uses those formulas in real life. The most they'll ever use is the basics: addition, subtraction, multipication, and division. But regardless of all that complaining, the work had to be done.   
Jessie had just finished the last of her math homework when the door was kicked open. When the door slammed into the wall, a towering man stood in the middle of the doorway.  
The man in the doorway had pale white skin. His hair, a dark black, was all oily and greasy. The grease made his hair shiny, but ugly. His eyes were a bloodshot green. The red linings around his eyes were a result from lack of sleep. His face from the nose down was covered in thick, black whiskers. He handn't shaved in weeks; months, most likely. His entire body, or at least the visible parts; the arms mostly, were covered in hair.  
His white shirt was covered with alcohol stains and marks of blood. His black pants were the same way; dusty, and covered all over with stains. From the ankle to his midshin, the left part of his pants were shredded, showing off some of his hairy leg.   
The man's face was a lean and hungry look. The expression was cold; colder than ice and snow COMBINED. His stone-cold, emotionless green eyes stared directly at Jessie as he slammed the door behind him. He gnarled his teeth at her when he marched forward.  
"Umm...hi dadddy!" Jessie said nervously as he marched towards her. "Dinner's on the counter. I managed to find enough food lying around the house to make some chicken salad."  
That somehow made the man snap. Marcus became more enfuriated.  
"A chicken salad? A chicken salad?! A CHICKEN SALAD?!" Marcus roared at her. "You expect me to eat a chicken salad?!"  
"I--I'm sorry daddy," the nine year old girl said. "But I couldn't make anything else. I couldn't go to market today, and that was all we had available."  
"When I get home from work, I expect a hot, steaming me meal to be ready on the kitchen table. NOT some chicken salad!"  
Marcus took the cracked salad bowl and threw it against against the wall. It slammed at the wall, the contents spilling all over the floor. The bowl cracked, falling to pieces all over the ground. Jessie instantly screamed and ran to the back. She cradled her binder closely to her. Marcus only stormed towards her more.  
"Why the bloody hell couldn't you go to market and buy more ingredients to make a DECENT meal?!"  
"B-be--bec-be-because--"  
"SPILL IT, YOU LITTLE BITCH!!!!"  
"I didn't have money or time! We're poor, daddy! And I had homework--"  
" 'I had homework, daddy! I had homework!'," Marcus mimicked. He stared into Jessie's face closer. "Listen, you little brat. I don't care if you had to write a twenty paper article on the fundamentals on PHYSICS! Dinner is supposed to be hot, warm, and steamy when I get home. You take your old man for granted, you know that?! I provide you with food, a roof over your head, and an education. I had to be the one in charge or raising you after your mother died. And this is how you repay me?! By putting your homework over my appetite?! By only making me a...a CHICKEN SALAD?!"  
Jessie was too busy hiccuping and crying to answer her father's question. She had lived with this type of cruelty before. But ever since her mother died, her father's anger had been worse. So had his beatings; with the belt, hands, AND the whiskey bottles.   
Marcus grabbed Jessica by the collar of her shirt and slapped her across the face over and over. Then he threw her against the matress, face first. When Jessie pushed herself up, she noticed her father was taking off his belt. She tried to run to the door, but Marcus pinned her to the matress tightly. While his spare hand pressed her neck down into the matress, Marcus slashed his belt across a table close by. The leather made a thunder-like cracking sound; like a bullwhip.  
"This will teach you to talk back to your dad, you little brat!!!!"  
Marcus flung his belt back, then slashed it against Jessie's cheek The young girl screamed in pain when she felt the hard leather slap her skin. The leather cracked at her skin again and again. The red spot on her cheek swelled, turning into a bleeding cut. The tears from her eyes meshed with the blood. Marcus noticed Jessie was crying, but he took no pity on his only daughter. Instead, his fury grew more.   
He threw his belt across the room and ripped the bottom half of Jessica's shirt off. Her stomach, with its navel tucked in, looked so frail and fragile. Her stomach was so thin, Marcus could see the outline of her bones popping through her gut. So many slashes existed on her belly; cuts and scrapes decorated her stomach all over; barely any piece of the skin remained un-touched.  
Marcus took out a black, long, and oval spaed object from his shoe. When he flicked it down, a razor sharp blade shot itself from the black oval. His lips and yellow, rotting teeth formed into a Grinch-like smirk while his the dullness in his green eyes sparkled one bit.  
"This will get my message through to you."  
The abusive man took his knife and slashed it across Jessica's stomach. The young girl screamed in pain when the cold steel touched her skin. Marcus tossed the knife to the side and clamped his hand over Jessie's mouth to stop her screaming. The very sound was like nails clawing down a scratchboard; sour to his ears. With his spare hand, he formed a hard fist, and shoved it into Jessica's face. Over and over he punched her. Cracking noises were made with every punch he threw into her face.  
When it was over, when Marcus's rage was spent, he stood up and glared down at his only daughter. Her stomach was badly cut, her entire face was bleeding, and her tears meshed with her blood. He looked at her with disgust, and spat on her face.  
"Next time, I expect you to make dinner with steam venting from it. Not some dull salad. Remember that. Or the next beating will be tenfold of what you just received."  
Marcus then marched to the font door, and left right through it, slamming the door behind him. Jessie slowly sat up, clinging tightly to her bleeding stomach. Slowly, she crawled to the edge of the matress, grabbing the white cloth laid across the floor. She quickly tied the cloth across her waist, stopping the bleeding from her stomach. She laid against the couch, crouching her knees to her body. She buried her face into her legs, allowing the tears to flow freely from her eyes. She sniffed and sobbed hysterically as her tears fell from her cheeks to her torn pants.  
"Why does daddy hate me?"  
  
~Present Day~  
  
Jessica sat up in her bed, her face streaked with tears. Her hands shivered when she reached for the blankets, wrapping them around her body. She brought one of the pillows to her knees, and buried her face in it. She sobbed heavily into the pillow, her tears staining the white sheet. Hiccups followed with her hyterical crying.  
When Jessie was finished, when she knew she had no more tears to shed, she pulled the covers off her body. Pressing her hands against the walls for support, she staggered over to the window sill. Sitting down on the small porch built within, the young girl gazed outside the glass barriers. Car lights were hazy to her poor eyes as they zoomed past the Anaheim Pond. She pressed her hands against the glass as she stared at the cars driving past.  
Jessie huddled her body close to her as she stared down at the streets, glowing with its zooming, bright and round firefly-like lights. She pulled her legs to her waist again, resting her head on her knees. She wanted to cry more; but she couldn't. She cried all of her tears out. All she could do was sniff away as she looked at her locket again.  
The small brunette ran her fingers across the golden eagle again. She then looked out into the starry sky, her teary reflection facing her again.  
Daddy, Jessie thought. You hated me so much. Why? What did I do to make you treat me so horribly? Why did you hate me so much? Why, daddy? Why?  
Jessica wanted to reason why her father was so abusive to her for six horrible years. But exhaustion overpowered her poor, weak body. After she returned to her bed and huddled the blankets across her body, she let the power of the sandman take over her weakling self. She cuddled her teddy bear closely to her as she slept away, the golden glowing of the eagle the only thing giving off light in that cold, heartless night.  
  
~ ~  
  
A black fish with white stripes lazily swam around on the ocean floor. It swam through the green weeds, sucking the plankton hiding there into its mouth. As the fish prepared to play in the coral reefs, the corner of its eye struck something else. A big, red metal thing lying around on the ocean floor.  
Curious, the fish swam around it. To that fish, the red object was the oddest looking coral reef it ever saw in its life. The black and white fish saw a strange and large circular object sticking out. Even more curious, it swam around it. When it looked inside the whole, it saw nothing. Only blackness.   
But before the fish could swim away, a green arm shout out from the hole, and grabbed the poor fishy. It tried to swim away, but the green hand of the darker green arm had a better grasp upon the fish's body. With a powerful jerk, the fish was yanked out of its habitat....and its source of life.  
"Argh!" the reptile Chameleon said as he morphed into a green scaled fisherman, complete with yellow rain coat and top hat. "Caught me 'self a beauty, I did."  
The fish had no oxygen, so it couldn't control it's jerking movements. Flapping over and over, it slapped its tail against Chameleon's face. Chameleon morphed back into his original form, and started shooting at the fish. The ocean creature kept flopping away from the blasts just inches from itself. Chameleon growled, shooting at it more fiercly.  
"Hold still!"  
Chameleon was about to shoot at the fish again, when something stopped him. A long, massive wodden stick with a sharp tip dug itself into the fish, killing it instantly. Blood instantly oozed from its body when the stick drove itself in. When Chameleon looked up, she saw a gray face, and a pair of red eyes. Wraith pulled his staff off the floor, and pulled the fish off. He handed the bloody fish over to Chameleon, a grim look upon his face.  
"It's dead, now."  
Chameleon looked at the fish warily, then looked back at Wraith. He slowly reached forward, then grabbed the bloody fish with his hand.   
"Um, I guess 'thanks' are in order."  
"No; a new MENU is in order!"  
Seige stormed in, a look of disgust upon him.   
"We've been surviving off of fish for nearly three YEARS now! I'm getting sick of it! I want something else!" Seige licked his lips. "Like duck."  
"Wouldn't we all?" Wraith sighed. "But how do you expect that to happen when we can't even re-charge our auxiliary power source to re-power the Raptor?"  
"Shhh!" Chameleon ushered. "The boss might hear ya! And you know how sensitive he is to that last attack we had."  
"Well...it didn't help that you temporarily betrayed us," Seige glared.  
Chameleon looked upon Seige, eyes looking shocked.  
"Me? A traitor? Oh, Seige. Traitor is such a strong word. It was an attempt to trick the Atlantians so I could get the crystals without them noticing." Wraith and Seige, who didn't believe that story, bent their heads down and glared at Chameleon. He looked at them, slightly nervous. But then he frowned, then turned around. He closed his eyes in defiance, crossing his arms across his chest. "Okay; fine. DON'T believe me. But it is true."  
Yeah; right, Seige thought.  
Does he expect me to believe that? Wraith thought as well.  
"What are you fools mumbling about?!"  
The roar and the thundering of clawed feet were not unfamiliar sounds. The three lizards quickly scampered to the farthest corners they could get to before Dragaunus stormed in. Neither of the three wanted to cross their lordship; especially in the state HE was in. His black pupils were gone, all of his yellow eyes glowing like the rays of the sun. Dark, gray smoke escaped his nostrils. His fists were clenched with the greatest of tightness, shaking in their grasps. The towering warlord slammed his fist against the wall, causing miniature cracks to form. Luckily, no water seeped through the cracks. But the floors all over the Raptor shook violently. Seige, Wraith, and Chameleon held on to the closest thing stuck to the wall to keep from tumbling over.   
At last, the shaking and violent vibrations stopped. Dragaunus's nostrils stopped seeping smoke, and his eyes pupils returned.  
"Doesn't anything on this damned ship work?!"  
Seige shook his head. "We're lucky that we can still keep electricity and OXYGEN running here."  
Smoke began to pour out of Dragaunus' nostrils again.  
"DAMN THOSE DUCKS TO HELL!" Dragaunus roared, pounding on the control unit of the Raptor. "I was so close. So CLOSE. The Earth was almost MINE! But then THEY had in interfere with my plans. Because of them we--" Dragaunus stopped, a smirk forming on his face. "Of course! Why didn't I think of this sooner?!"  
Dragaunus tore out the bottom metal cabinet beneath the Raptor's main computer, and tossed it aside. Chameleon yelped and ducked at the same time, the metal's corner sticking right near the position where his head was previously. He eyes the metal wearly as Dragaunus dug through several wires. Wraith and Seige looked at each other nervously.  
"You have any idea what he's doing?" Seige asked, whispering.  
"No; but I advise not asking him. You know his lordship's temper."  
Dragaunus located a blue and green wire. He tied the two into a tight knot, then looped it inside the area where a purple wire used to exist before it somehow disintigrated. After he vigoriously pressed several buttons on the computer's keyboard, the Raptor began to feel different from before. The other three couldn't explain it, but the ship felt different then for some odd reason. Dragaunus chuckled lightly.  
"It was so simple! I can not believe how long it took me to figure it out!"  
"Ummm...figure out WHAT, Lord Dragaunus?"  
Dragaunus looked at Seige, his smirk still upon his face. "Our power! I re-installed the power to the Raptor! We can teleport from place to place again!" He began to rub his chin. "But we still need to find a way to re-power the Raptor again. Or at least the auxiliary power working again."  
The others looked thoughtful at one another, trying to think up plans to make Dragaunus' ideas become a reality. But the others couldn't think of anything. Then, Dragaunus snapped his scaly fingers.  
"Of course! This planet may have the technology we need after all!" The evil warlord snickered evily. "We'll need several parts and some human slaves to do the labor for us, though. Tomorrow in the morning, I'll need you three to teleport to the surface of this planet and locate the items we need to re-power the auxiliary power. Then we shall proceed with phase two. By the end of this week, the world shall be MINE!"  
Dragaunus laughed evily, his laugh echoing through the halls of the Pond. The others glanced at each other, shrugged, then followed Dragaunus' laugh with their own snickers.  
  
To Be Continued.........  



	2. Setting the Bait

Gift of Renewed Friendship  
  
by: Calandra Drakeler  
  
I'm very sorry that this took so long in arriving. But I'm a junior in high school, and there's a lot of pressure to get into college and have a good GPA. So, needless to say, I had VERY little time to work on my stories. But I did the best I could, and here's the second part. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter Two: Setting the Bait  
  
***  
  
Morning finally came the next day. The rays of the warm sun sped through a window, spreading its warmth across the room. The brightness of the sun stirred Jessica, making her eyes open the slightest bit. She blinked, then, after opening her eyes all the way, she stretched and yawned. She rose halfway out of bed, rubbing her eyes. She pulled the covers off of her, then sat right on the edge of the bed. Pulling one of her legs to her waist, she leaned her head against her knee. Her green eyes wandered around the room, taking in the sight of all that surrounded her. Her lips formed a small smile.  
  
This place's not a dream, she thought. It's real. It's all real.  
  
As happy as Jessie was at that second, it turned to a look of agony and grief again.  
  
It's all real...like mom dying on me. Real like my dad hitting me over and over again. Real like the reality that I'll be leaving soon. Jessie sighed, covering one of her eyes with her fingers as she pressed a hand against her cheek. Is there EVER going to be a lucky break for me?  
  
Jessica layed back down onto the bed, folding her arms across the back of her neck. She stared up at the white ceiling, thinking everything over.  
  
"Is my life EVER going to get any easier?" Jessie said outloud, covering her face with a pillow. As quickly as she pressed the pillow against her face, she tossed it aside, onto the corner of the bed. She sat upright fast, sniffing the air like crazy. Her lips formed a big smile, reaching from cheek to cheek. "I know that smell anywhere! CHOCOLATE!!!!!"  
  
Jessie jumped off the bed and hustled towards the door. When her foot left the ground, she heard a slight 'creaking' sound. Curious, she bent down and knocked on the ground. Hollow. Jessie grabbed the rug that covered it and pulled on it, revealing a loose square edge on the floor. She blinked, and scratched her head.  
  
Why would they leave one of their tiles unglued?  
  
Jessica pressed her fingers inside, pushing the tile slightly. It budged. She then pushed it all the way. Underneath the space on where the tile was previously, there was a floor. Jessie bent down, her head peaking to the hallway below her. She looked left and right, looking for any signs of people coming to or from her way. None were in sight. Nor was a sound being made. Jessie slid her legs down, one at a time, until she was hanging from the ceiling like a monkey on a tree branch. Grabbing the tile with her spare hand, Jessie re-enserted the object in its previous place, careful not to squish her fingers. She then jumped down, knees bending slightly in the proccess.  
  
That wasn't TOO hard, Jessie thought. Now where's that chocolate?!  
  
Jessica sniffed the air over and over, trying to pick up the scent of the dark brown sweet all of the world was addicted to. She turned over and over, trying to find the source of the sweet scent. When she turned her head to the left, she smelled the chocolate air again. This time, it was VERY strong. Stronger than when she was in her room.  
  
Of course! How could I have been so stupid?! THE KITCHEN!  
  
Picking up speed, Jessie raced of to the kitchen.  
  
***  
  
Duke poured himself a large cup of coffee. He reached out and grabbed an oval shaped bowl, filled with white crystals. The gray feathered drake hummed a song from Eric Clapton while he poured the white crystals and cream into his coffee cup, stirring the contents over and over in a repeating circle. But when he brought the cup to his beak and sipped the coffee, his face formed a look of disgust. Quickly, Duke spat the coffee into the sink, then poured the rest of the coffee in his cup in the sink as well.  
  
"Alright! Who put salt in the sugar bowl?! And who let rancid milk stay in the fridge?!"  
  
Nosedive looked down and stared at his waffles, snorting while he tried to hide in laughter. Duke turned his head swiftly to Dive's direction, his face forming a look of anger and annoyance. To hide the smirk on his face, Nosedive brought his glass of orange juice to his beak. The gray feathered drake tried to storm over to the teenage duck, but Wildwing held one of his arms out to stop him. Duke would've opened his beak to say something, but quickly snapped it shut again. He nodded, and smirked. Dive looked back at Duke, then at Wildwing. He scratched his head, but then shrugged and returned to eating his waffles.  
  
As the blonde-haired drake prepared to take a second bite of his breakfast, alarms started wailing. Red flashes filled the kitchen as the alarms were screaching through the air. Wildwing pushed himself from the table and stood up.  
  
"It's a Drake One alert!" he said.  
  
Well, OBVIOUSLY! Dive thought, standing up as well.  
  
The others stood up as well, annoyed that their breakfast was ruined by a blaring siren and lights blinking red over and over. They quickly left the table, silverware clattering and dishes rattling slightly by the thudering of their feet. A few minutes later, Jessica emerged from the other side of the kitchen. She looked around, then scratched her head in confusion.  
  
That's odd, she thought. Where is everyone? And what's with the sirens and blinking red lights?  
  
***  
  
The six ducks raced right into the center of their headquarters, right where Drake One was blaring its alarms. Tanya immedietly sat down and began to type away at the computer's keyboard, locating the problem.  
  
"Drake One says that we have an, um, intruder in our---kitchen?"  
  
"But we were just there a--" Mallory stoped suddenly, then rolled her eyes. "You don't suppose that the little brat snuck in here, do you?"  
  
"If you mean Jessica, yes," Wildwing said. "Turn of the sirens, Tanya. Let's just go back to the kitchen, everyone."  
  
***  
  
Jessica tapped against the kitchen table, looking off into space. Then she looked back at the waffles. After looking into both directions, she took one chocolate chip waffle. Rolling it into a burrito-like state, the young girl stuffed the entire thing into her mouth. Only chewing it for a few seconds, she swallowed the entire waffle down her throat. She layed her head back onto the table afterwards, staring at the door as she day-dreamed.  
  
Where could those over-grown ducks have gone to? Jessie wondered. The alarms are off, as well as that awful red light. What could be keeping them?  
  
"Mallory was right; you ARE here!" somone said.  
  
"Who--" when Jessie turned her head around, she relaxed."Oh; it's just you guys. Nevermind then."  
  
"So YOU'RE the reason the alarms went off!" Mallory said, hands at hips.  
  
"So what?" Jessie asked in a non-caring tone of voice. "It's not a big deal."  
  
Mallory's fists were clenced, shaking in its tightness. But when she tried to storm over to Jessica, Grin held her back. He shook his head, saying he was not happy with the way Mallory was behaving with their 'guest'. Wildwing also gave her a dissaprooving look. Mallory groaned, and crossed her arms across her chest. Wildwing rolled his eyes heavenward and shook his head. Duke, coughing nerviously, skidded away to the side slightly to make room for himself.  
  
"You're hungry, eh kid?" Duke suggested. "Bet you would like some waffles, huh?"  
  
But before Jessica could open her mouth and speak again, Mallory butted in.  
  
"From the looks of my plate, she helped herself to some of MY waffles," she muttered loudly.  
  
"I only took one!" Jessie insisted.  
  
Mallory tried to open her beak to respond, Grin put a finger to the rim of her lips. He shook his head, and looked at Mallory again. She was practically fuming inside, and the fumes were getting ready to spew out of her nostrils. Wildwing grabbed her wrist and pulled her down onto the seat next to him. She crossed her arms across her chest, glaring at Jessie as she pulled her plate away from her.  
  
Duke sighed as he piled a plate with three chocolate chip waffles. He set the plate down right in front of Jessie's eyes. She looked at the plate with glowing anticipation, hands clenching the table. When she tried to grab one of her waffles, Wildwing grabbed her wrist. He shook his head, then pointed to the silverware on each of the plate's sides. Jessie rolled her eyes heavenward, then, with great reluctance, took the fork and knife. Slowly, she started cutting her waffles, annoyed by the supervision given to her. When she was about to take her first bite, Phil entered. Quickly, even though Wildwing shook his head, she rolled the three waffles into one. After stuffing them into her mouth, she quickly chewed, then swallowed. Nosedive fought to surpress a laugh, while Duke smirked slightly. Mallory rolled her eyes heavenward, then leaned against her fist.  
  
I'll know who to call next time the garbage disposal breaks, she thought.  
  
"Hey Uncle!" Jessie said quickly, jumping out of her seat.  
  
"Ah, so THIS is where you went off to. Thank goodness," Phil said, wiping his forehead with a hankerchief. "I thought something might've happened to you."  
  
"Phil, where else could she have gone to?" Tanya asked.  
  
"Thank you for that announcement," Phil mock thanked. "Jessie, I've got some bad news. An assosicate from the Anaheim court called me about your movement here for a last minute appointment. So, I won't be able to take you shopping today."  
  
"But Uncle--" Jessica began to speak.  
  
"I can take her!" Nosedive offered, jumping out of his seat. "Really, I don't mind."  
  
"I'd preffer a grown-up going with you," Wildwing said. "Mallory, why don't you go with the two? Make sure they don't get into trouble. Besides," he smirked. "You can use your fashion knowledge and put those $5000 checks from Macy's and Forever 21 to good use."  
  
"There is no way I am spending MY money on-" Mallory began to argue, voice raising higher with every word she spoke. But then she stopped. She sighed in surrender. "Fine. I'll babysit the two. But if they cause me any trouble, I won't be held responsible for my actions!"  
  
Does she ever do anything else besides threaten people like me? Jessica thought.  
  
***  
  
Jessica stopped at the rim of Nosedive's room. She peeked her head in, getting a better view of his place. Nosedive went through his large closet as Jessie entered, looking around his place. She looked at a pile of freshly wrapped comic books stacked against a cupboard on the floor. Picking one up, she examined the cover. A man in a blue bodysuit, with a white circle surrounding a '4' in the center, looked like a living rubber band. His entire body was stretched out; even his torso. Then, there was a woman with sort hair. Jessie couldn't what her hair color was, because she HAD no color. In fact, the woman was almost....invisible. The only way she was albe to see her was because of the white lining around her body. Next, she saw a young man, covered in flames. But he wasn't screaming in terror, or looking like he was about to die. In fact, he seemed perfectly fine being a walking torch. Finally, right in the center of the of the cover, was another man. If the person in the comic cover could be CONSIDERED a man. His skin looked like granite getting ready to fall of his body; all cracked and chipped. He was a big man, and the only thing covering his body was a pair of ripped blue shorts.  
  
The Fantasic Four, she read, looking over the characters. Strange looking heroes. What else is in this pile?  
  
Digging through what felt like over 200 copies of Fantasic Four, Jessica found something different. A guy with green skin, and dark green hair. His eyes were purple, and so were his ripped shorts. He was also very big and muscular; almost as much as Grin was himself. He stood behind a barren wasteland, or what was left of a bad guy's fortress. He looked angry, holding in his arms a woman in ripped camolflage leggings and a white tank top, who was dead.  
  
The Incredible Hulk, she thought. Must've been someone who he was in love with. But is there anything in here that doesn't look like it was made twenty years ago?  
  
Jessica skimmed through the entire stack of comics, only to be dissapointed. The only comic book that gave her the slightest bit of interest was one of a woman with long, curly black hair, and a red, white and blue unitard with a gold eagle in the center; aka, Wonder Woman. Sad that nothing of interest catching her eyes, she stood up again. She looked back at Nosedive, who was still searching through his closet. When she looked at his dresser, two picture frames caught her attention. Picking one up, she examined the people inside the frame.  
  
The first picture consisted of four alien avians, much like Nosedive himself. On the upper left, a tall male stood. He had short brown hair, the bangs combed out at each side. His eyes were a hazelish color, and his feathers were tannish peach; much like Nosedive's own feathers. At the upper right, stood a beautiful duck woman. She had beautiful chest length blonde hair, and her feathers were a creamy off-white color. The color of her eyes were a rich, deep oceanblue; exactly like Nosedive's. At the lower left was another drake. He looked exactly like Wildwing, except two or three years younger. He held in his hand a rolled up sheet of paper wrapped in ribbon, which Jessie guessed was his diploma from one of Puckworld's colleges. The navy blue square top hat and navy blue robe also gave away that indication. And at the lower right was Nosedive himself. His blonde hair tied back let a distinguised air float around him; so did his clothes. A white, long-sleeved formal shirt, with a blue vest and black neck-tie over it, the tie tucked into his vest. Jessie couldn't help but giggle.  
  
He actually looks kind of cute in this picture, Jessie thought.  
  
The next one caught her attention involved Nosedive with a human girl. Jessica turned it over from side to side, examining the the content of the picture and the details within it. Nosedive, dressed in a Mighty Duck jersey and blue jeans, was holding a teenage lady close to him. She appeared to be of Armenian descent, from the way her face was shaped. But her blue eyes suggested otherwise. She had light brown hair that reached down to her mid-back, with bleached streaks on certain areas. Her body build was very 'voluptuous', to put it mildly. Big breasts, small and thick waist; every man's vision of the perfect female physique. To make her figure even more noticeable, her purple low cut tank clung tightly to her torso, making her breasts larger and firmer. Her dark blue flares hugged her hips snuggly as she clung to Dive, her cheek against his.  
  
Must be his girlfriend, Jessie figured. Pretty, but she looks snobby. And slutty too.  
  
"Veronica."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Veronica Hasmalian," Nosedive said, returning from the closet with a small bungle in his arms. "My sweetie. But I'm sure you've already figured that out. Here." Nosedive threw the clothing item into her arms. "I think you'll be needing this."  
  
Jessica looked at the bungle in her arms, then back at Nosedive. She unfolded the shirt in her arms, holding it against her body. The short, black contrast sleeves went very well with the white shirt. To her surprise, the garment looked as though it was just her size.  
  
"What's with the sudden act of charity?"  
  
"It's not charity," Dive insisted. "I haven't worn that shirt in YEARS. I like to think of it more as getting rid of waste."  
  
"Thanks," Jessie said bluntly, turning around. "You mind?"  
  
"Sorry," Dive said, turning around and covering his closed eyes with his hands.  
  
Jessica turned herself around, peeling her gray sleeping shirt off her body. As she did so, Nosedive slumped against one of the posts near his bed. As Jessie was changing her shirt, he couldn't help but see the reflection of her bare back on a close-by mirrior. He had no intention on doing so, but he wasn't able to stop himself. In the process, he fought the urge to cringe in fear. His eyes were on the verge of being as wide as dinner plates, and he had the greatest of sympathy for the young girl in his room.  
  
Jessica's back, tender and once smooth, was covered with belt buckle marks and glass cuts. Nosedive knew that she lived with an over-abusive father, but never knew until now the depth of his abuse. Something in the back of his mind told him to wrap his arms around her, hug her and do what ever he could do to try and take the pain away. But then logic broke in; told him now was not the time. Soon, the time for his compassion would be at hand. But, even though the logical side of his brain told him no, he still felt the urge to. He fought that urge, even though the proposition of compassion nagged at his head over and over.  
  
Even though Jessica covered her scars with her borrowed shirt, Nosedive could still see through the cotton material. Though the scars and marks weren't visible through the clothing, the sight was etched into his brain. He didn't want to imagine how those ugly marks came to exist on her. Nor did he dare ask.  
  
"Why you being so silent?" Jessica asked, rolling her jeans down to her ankles.  
  
"No reason," Nosedive said. "Ready to head to the Mall?"  
  
"Yeah," Jessica said.  
  
***  
  
Jessica leaned against Nosedive's back, her head peering over his shoulder. As they sped along one of Anaheim's roads, every car that zoomed past them seemed to have looked like nothing more than a blur. Brown hair blowing in the wind, Jessie brushed a brown lock out of her face. The daredevil she was, she leaned back to make room for her feet. Then, grabbing side rods on the bike, she leaned forward and stood up on the bike. She waved to the cars passing by, who only stared at her in awe. Nosedive scratched his head as everyone that passed by him looked at his motorcycle in dumbfoundedness.  
  
What's causing everyone to stare at me? he wondered. Is it my hair? Or my clothes?  
  
No sooner did he ask himself that question did he receive his answer. The corner of his eyes looked back, and the rest of his face went frozen in fear.  
  
"WILL YOU SIT BACK DOWN?!"  
  
When Jessica realized he was talking to her, she jumped slightly into the air, then sat down when friction forced her to. She folded her arms across her chest, fuming that her moment of fun had to end so soon.  
  
"You--"  
  
"Could've gotten killed; yeah, yeah, yeah," Jessie waved him off.  
  
"If you knew, then why did you do it?!"  
  
"I dunno," Jessie answered, shrugging her shoulders. "Just felt like it, I suppose."  
  
This is going to be a VERY long day, Nosedive thought.  
  
***  
  
Mallory slipped her nubby turtleneck onto her torso, pulling on the end to stretch out any wrinkles. Grabbing her red purse, she stuffed several dollar bills into her handbag before slipping her feet into her fancy, white, back-strapped sandles. After brushing back the choppy bangs of her firey red hair, she wrapped her purse around her right shoulder. A loud whistle, which men usually used to attract women, echoed through her walls. She turned around quickly, the shocked expression on her face turning to annoyance.  
  
"Quite a figure you have there, sweetheart."  
  
"When were you planning on letting me know you were spying on me, Duke?"  
  
"What can I say?" the aged drake shrugged. "Old habits die hard. Umm, shouldn't you be, oh; I don't know, going with Nosedive and that kid to the mall?"  
  
"We leave in ten minutes," Mallory said. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"Because the two left five minutes ago on one of the duckcycles."  
  
"They WHAT?!"  
  
Mallory grabbed her bike helmet and swiftly raced out the door. Duke, leaning against the wall next to Mallory's desk and mirror, chuckled lightly to himself.  
  
"Hope her speed is a swift as her short-fused temper."  
  
"I HEARD that, Duke!"  
  
Duke, after blinking in surprise for one brief second, smiled sheepishly to himself.  
  
***  
  
Jessica remained silent throughout the remainder of the trip to the mall. Though she was ticked off at Nosedive for making sure she didn't stand on the motorcycle, she couldn't stay mad at Nosedive forever. Deep down, though she didn't want to admit it, she knew he was only trying to protect her.  
  
Maybe I should give blondie boy a chance, she thought. He's not SO bad for an alien duck.  
  
Her hand went onto his shoulders, squeezing them slightly. Logic told her that it was to make sure she didn't fall off, but a small part of her said it was part of an apology to Nosedive.  
  
Nosedive smiled slightly to himself as Jessica leaned forward, laying her head on his back. He knew that she only did so to make sure she didn't fall onto the concrete street, but though he knew, he didn't want to admit to himself that he did know. He allowed himself to enjoy the touch of Jessica's hands as they squeezed his shoulders, her cheek rubbing against his back; though clothed. He loved it. And he knew it. But why?  
  
Why do I feel this way when I'm around Jessie? Dive wondered, eyes narrowed on the road. I mean, she's a human, and at LEAST three to four years younger than me. So, why do I enjoy her company so much?  
  
Nosedive had the motorcycle come to a halt, which jolted Jessie's body. When the motorcycle skidded to a stop, Jessica fell backwards, her back landing on the very edge of Nosedive's motorcycle. Her head hung low as she looked at the road ahead of her, seeing everything in an alternate method.  
  
"Cool. The buildings in front look like they're standing on their heads!"  
  
"Maybe you should set your head UP?" Nosedive suggested.  
  
"You kidding? This is FUN!"  
  
Great. I'm babysitting a four year old in a fourteen year old's underdeveloped body, Nosedive through, his cheek resting on his balled up fist. "So, why don't you just sit up, and we go shopping?"  
  
"Shopping? Why are we here to shop?"  
  
"Because you need new clothes, remember?"  
  
"Oh yeah! Duh!" Jessica said, slapping her head.  
  
My first official duty as Human Babysitter. Nosedive crossed his arms across his chest. This is COMPLETELY bogus!  
  
***  
  
Mallory narrowed her eyes on the road as she zoomed past all the cars along the streets, dodging passing cars from left to right. Her teeth were clenced in anger as she sped up. She didn't care if anything got crushed or ran over as she rode by. She was by far too angry to care. Her green eyes had now turned a deep blood red; darker than her own very hair.  
  
Those no-good little BRATS. DAMN them! Mallory cursed as she continued to drive. What makes them THINK that they can get away with going on without me?! When I get my hands on BOTH of those waifs, I'll--  
  
"GET A MOVE ON, WILL YA!!!"  
  
Mallory blinked, and turned her head to see what all of the commotion was about. An old obese man, between his late fourties and early fifties, honked his car's horn furiously, demanding for Mallory to speed up and not hold up the traffic.  
  
"Alright! Alright!" she screamed back at him. Men! They are so IRRITATING!  
  
***  
  
Jessica's dark green eyes absorbed the scenery around her as she slowly spun around on her feet, absorbing in the sights of the Anaheim Mall. Her mind was in a blaze of awe and amazement as her eyes and body wondered from store to store with Nosedive next to her. One place that amazed her the most was a store that had a classic Superman-like superhero with hair that stuck out similar to that of Elvis Presley. His large, mechanical and musical arms would flex in and out while he was contracting his robotic muscles.  
  
"Hey; what's that joint?"  
  
"Only the BEST comic book shop in Anaheim!" Nosedive proudly stated. "Captain Comics. I hang out there after school a lot. My two best friends Thrash and Mookey work their part time. Hey; since we're here, why don't I introduce you to them?"  
  
"Are they punks that talk like some high-strung valley-kids?"  
  
"No! Of course not!" Nosedive stated. You just HAD to volunteer to babysitt, DIDN'T you, Nosedive? You really ARE a knuckle-head, man! "Well, maybe. Why don't you come in and see for yourself?"  
  
Her little and embryonic body filled with excitment, Jessica pushed open the doors of the comic book store and raced inside. Nosedive tried to follow her, but instead, friction decided to give the blonde drake a present all of its own. When he tried to slip inside, Nosedive's beak met with the fiber glass door.  
  
"Ouff!" Nosedive screeched, his voice muffled by the contact of the glass door. "Stupid kid," he muttered to himself as he pushed himself off the glass door, wiping smeared saliva off his lips.  
  
Nosedive just shook the event off, and gently pushed himself into the comic book store. Upon entering, he shook his head, then allowed the tips of his fingers to touch his temples. Thrash's head was buried underneath a his arms as he listened to Jessica's constant rambling. Nosedive wasn't able to hear from a far-off distance, but he could sense that Thrash was begging Jessica to shut up.  
  
Mookie wasn't having any better luck handling Jessica's non-stop chatter, for Nosedive could see her finger's tensing up and her teeth clenching as she fought to bare the teenager's constant meandering while stacking a pile of Green Lantern comics on top of each other and preparing to sort them out.  
  
"Okay, Jessie!" Nosedive shouted from affar. "I think they heard enough talk about how much better Star Wars is than Star Trek."  
  
"But I wasn't even getting into the part about the lack of different species in--"  
  
"ENOUGH!" Mookie shouted. When she saw the look of awe on Jessie's face, she put on a small and artificial smile. "We know about the differences between Star Trek and Star Wars. You don't need to explain them."  
  
"Hey; Jess!" Nosedive pressed two dollars worth of quarters into the palm of Jessie's hand. "Why don't you keep yourself busy with a video game back there, and we'll get to your clothes in a minute?"  
  
"But--" Jessie tried to speak.  
  
"Go."  
  
"Fine," she grumbled, marching off to the video game machine. "Stupid Nosedive, thinking he can boss me around just because he's older and taller than me," she muttered as she inserted a quarter into the machine slot.  
  
Nosedive smiled sheepishly at Thrash and Mookie, rubbing the back of his neck as the two stared at him with great dissaproval. Removing his hand from his neck, Nosedive twiddled his fingers together, hands behind him.  
  
"So, what do you think of her?" Nosedive asked, trying to sound optimistic.  
  
"You SERIOUSLY need to choose a different girlfriend," Thrash simply stated.  
  
"One that's not, like, midget-sized and annoying," Mookie added.  
  
"First off, she's NOT my girlfriend!" Nosedive whispered in a snake-like hiss. "She's someone who I'm assigned to baby-sit for Phil."  
  
"You mean--she's--that girl's--" Thrash tried to speak.  
  
"Yes, Thrash; that's Phil's niece," Nosedive finished. "I was asked to show her around Anaheim and bring her clothes shopping. And two; even if I DID like her in a girlfriend sense, which I DON'T, I already HAVE a girlfriend. Veronica, remember?"  
  
Thrash and Mookie looked at each other with the "Yeah, right" and "Puh-lease" expressions on each of their faces, then faced Nosedive with the very same expressions on their faces. Nosedive crossed his arms across his chest, and stared at Thrash and Mookie with annoyance and dissaproval. Refusing to argue further with his friends, Nosedive grabbed two comics that were in his file. After stuffing them into a plastic bag he abruptly grabbed from Thrash's hands, he marched off to the game that Jessica had her eyes and body senses glued against the arcade game screen. She was completly oblivious to Nosedive's antics and his staring at her back as she moved the joystick of the arcade machine from side to side, blasting at one space cruiser to another. With every starship that she bluew up made her face glow while she beamed.  
  
"Take that, TIE fighters!" she squealed, pressing buttons next to the joystick. "No one is a match for Jessica Lockheart! Not even the Imperial Empire itself! Where's your high-and-mighty Emperor Palpantine now, huh?!"  
  
There was obviously WAY too much sugar in those chocolate chip waffles she downed earlier this morning. "Look, Jessie? We REALLY need to get going now on the shopping thing. So, how about we leave, huh? You can return to kicking the Imperial Empire's ass later, okay?"  
  
"Uh-huh; whatever," Jessie shrugged, obviously not paying any attention to what Nosedive had to say to her.  
  
"Jessie, come on! I don't have time for video games!" Whoah, that is something I'd NEVER thought I'd say!  
  
"No video games; that's nice."  
  
"Okay; that's it! You leave me no other option!"  
  
Unable to tolerate Jessica's lack of tolerance, Nosedive lifted her her into the air and hauled her over his shoulders. The short brunette gave a short shriek when she was hauled onto Nosedive. She immedietly began striking his back with her hands, curled up into fists. Nosedive whinced slightly when he felt her hitting his back, but the reaction was more out of annoyance than pain.  
  
"Hit all you want, Jessie," Dive warned. "It's not gonna make any difference."  
  
Thrash and Mookie stared at the blonde drake as he dragged the miniature-sized human out of the comic book shop. Thrash, the most surprised, continued to stare as Mookie quickly returned to her work.  
  
"So, like, how long until you think it'll be until they're a couple?"  
  
"A long time," Mookie stated. "A very long time. Probably at least two millenniums."  
  
***  
  
Chameleon sat by the bushes, sitting indian-style while doodling on the dirt covered ground around him with a stick he found lying around on the ground. He couldn't deny what he felt; he was bored. He dragged his drawing stick through the dirt again, doodling here and there to pass the time by. He sighed irritably as he dragged his stick in a horizantal pattern. Next, he made small circles in the center of yet a larger circle, slowly turning them into almond-shaped ovals.  
  
I can't believe the nerve of the boss, Chameleon thought bitterly as he made a slash with his stick. I could be doing something USEFUL. Like...putting a bomb on the duck's secret headquarters. ANYTHING but this; spying on some teenage duck.  
  
As Chameleon sighed irritably once more, the corner of his eye caught a sight most interesting. Highly curious, Chameleon peered through the bushes, his big red eyes bulging widely.  
  
Either that duckie is practicing Tarzan with that human, or..... Chameleon quickly shook his head. No way that little midget could be that blonde duckie's gal. But...then again, she must be. Or else he wouldn't be carrying her like that. Chameleon's thin, lipless mouth formed a smirk. The Boss will LOVE to hear this.  
  
***  
  
"Will you put me down?!" Jessica demanded, pounding Nosedive's back with her miniature hands curled up into small balls.  
  
"Only if you promise to behave yourself."  
  
"Why do I need to promise that?"  
  
"Because I said so."  
  
"Make me."  
  
"Alright." Nosedive bit his lip for a brief moment to think of a simple way to get Jessica to obey him. "Two reasons. One, if I continue to hold you like this, you'll be mocked for the rest of your life. Two, Phil will find out, and you'll be in big trouble."  
  
Jessica remained silent for many seconds, biting her lip as she pondered a way to counter Nosedive's comments. Unfortunately, the fuel in her small yet run-on mouth had run low on fuel. Instead of countering to what Nosedive had said earlier, she merely slumped, resting her chin against his back.  
  
"I'd counter your response, but I'm too hungry."  
  
"Wanna go grab a bite at CPK then?"  
  
"CPK?"  
  
"California Pizza Kitchen," Dive confirmed, flipping her over gently so she could rest her read on his shoulder instead of her back. "I'm sure you'll like that place. They have a delicious dip and great pizzas. Their philly cheesesteak is the best, but I'll let you decide for yourself."  
  
As Nosedive continued to escort Jessica to the pizzaria through himself as transportation, a young Armenian teenage girl stood by the back entrance. She looked at her reflection with a compact mirror while adjusting the lip gloss on her full and pouty lips. She smacked her lips together as she looked at her reflection with great egocentricity in herself.  
  
You are one hell of a sexy bitch, the girl thought to herself as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. No man can resist your full lips. Or your beautiful head of hair. Or, most importantly...this beautiful body of a goddess, she snickered, adjusting her fur-trim of her cheetah-printed tube tank. As she did so, the glass mirror of her compact caught the image of a blonde avian. She licked her lips as she closed her compact make-up kit. And here comes my main squeeze right now. "Hey there Divey-poo!" the voluptious Armenian girl waved, twiddling her fingers as she bashed a flirt- like smile as well as impudent eye-batting.  
  
"Hey Veronica!" Dive called out. "Jessie, do you mind if we make a quick stop for a few minutes? You know; so I can give a quick 'hi' and 'whazzup' to my girlfriend and all?"  
  
"Well, I--"  
  
"Thanks," the blonde drake quickly said, going into a steady jog towards Veronica.  
  
I didn't say he could! Jessie screamed in her head. Eh; what difference would it make. Like blondie boy here would listen.  
  
Nosedive trotted towards his girlfriend, Jessica bouncing up and down from the movement. Veronica, looking at the teenage girl on his back, hid an eye twitch as she put her make-up compact back into her black purse straped around her shoulder and hanging at her right hip. She bit her lower lip gently as her left fist clenched up tightly. Her body tensed up as she felt a swish of jealousy flow through her body when the short brunette teenager tightened her grip around Nosedive's shoulders.  
  
That better NOT be his new girlfriend! she thought bitterly.  
  
"Hey baby," Dive said, wrapping his arms around Veronica. "I missed you."  
  
"Not as much as I missed you," Veronica crooned, kissing Nosedive on the front of his beak. "How was that horrible summer school you had to suffer through?"  
  
"Ugh; AWFUL," Dive grunted. "That physics teacher was basically a prison guard. And American History was awful too. But, I passed each class with an A-, so no complaints here." With that, Dive and Veronica shared another kiss. "But enough about summer school. How was your trip to Europe with your dad?"  
  
"Fun, yet--"  
  
"AHEM!"  
  
Nosedive and Veronica looked up, and noticed Jessica still on Nosedive's back. Her arms were folded across her chest, and she had an irritated look on her face.  
  
"Aren't you going to introduce ME, Dive?"  
  
"Sorry," Nosedive said sheepishly. "Veronica, this is Jessie, my boss's niece. I'm showing her around Anaheim while she's here for the summer."  
  
"And would that method of transportation have to include piggy-back rides?"  
  
"HEY!"  
  
"Okay, that's enough," Nosedive ordered, pulling Jessica off his back. "Go inside the pizzaria and wait for me there, okay? I'll be right with you."  
  
"But--"  
  
"I won't take long, I promise," Dive assured, wrapping his arms around Veronica.  
  
Whatever, Jessie thought to herself while marching towards the entrance.  
  
As she prepared to open the door, the corner of Jessica's eyes caught Nosedive and Veronica in a heavy lip lock, repeateadly giving kisses to one another. Jessica stuck her tongue out in disgust when Veronica blew a bubble with her bubble gum and Nosedive popped it with his own teeth, bringing the gum into his mouth.  
  
That has to be the most DISGUSTING thing I've EVER seen! Before Jessica went in, a smirk went across her face. Wait a minute....all he's doing is playing kissy-face with that slut. Which means...he won't mind if I go off and explore on my own.  
  
With that, Jessica slowly started walking in the oppposite direction. When she was sure that Nosedive wasn't looking, she ran off to the middle of the mall. While there, her eyes twinkled at the one place that had to have gave her the most interest.  
  
A video arcade! Her eyes twinkled with over-enthusiastic joy. The dump comes through for me!  
  
***  
  
Mallory parked her duckcycle at the desired parking lot before slipping off and walking off to the entrance to the Mall. However, her walking was more similar to brisk marching due to her rigid stance and her clenched up teeth.  
  
The moment if I find Nosedive and that little brat, I'm going to strangle the LIFE out of them! Her teeth let out of a hiss, which scared two teenage girls near an ice cream parlor. The NERVE of them! When I--  
  
"Hey! Watch where you're going!"  
  
"Why don't you go to hell!" Mallory shouted back at the blonde boy with the skateboard. "I don't need some punk telling ME what to do!"  
  
Jeez; what a crazy bitch, the boy thought as Mallory marched off.  
  
***  
  
Jessica walked into the arcade, mesmerized by all of the game choices. Lights flashed brightly as two boys were blasting away at aliens at one game counsel, while an African-American boy was putting his basketball skills to use on a basketball timed game. Two girls were playing skiball at the further corner of the arcade, and a boy with black hair and bleached tips was occupying himself on a virtual skatebaord game. Everywhere in that one little corner of the mall was a different type of game. Jessica's eyes widened with great enthusiasm.  
  
I'm in heaven! the girl thought, exploring the arcade. There must be enough video games here to satisfy even the biggest video game junkie. Only problem is...what to choose? There's like, so MANY!  
  
Jessica looked around, her eyes absorbing all of the game counsels that any video-game fan could hope for. Turning around, she started walking backwards, staring at the glowing star-covered ceiling. The patterns and the blinking comet enchanted her small yet wide eyes, amazing her in ways that she couldn't fathom. In fact, she was so mesmerized that she didn't notice an adult man behind her as she bumped into him. The man with black hair and red streaks fell against his game counsel, the buttons having been pushed from his chin. The silver robot on the screen then froze isntantly, leaving a chinese girl with double buns free to break him to pieces. The man instantly turned around, and glared at Jessica.  
  
"Watch where you're going, you imp!"  
  
"Sorry, man," the girl apologized. "Didn't see ya. I'll be more careful where I step from now on." Man, is this guy a bozo or what?!  
  
"See that you do!"  
  
Jeez; what a jerk, Jessie thought, walking past him. Oh well, at least I know he won't be playing video games for much longer.  
  
As Jessica walked past him, the red-streaked man went back to his arcade game. Upon noticing that he lost, he reached into his pocket to pull out more quarters. Sadly, he realized that he had no more. What was worse, the man realized that he had no wallet either. Upon turning his head to his left, he noticed Jessica pulling two single dollar bills out of a black wallet and inserting them into a coin machine. Instead of fuming or racing to the manager for a complaint or Jessica himself, he did nothing. In fact, his lips suprisingly broke into a smile. Making sure no one was paying attention to him, he walked backwards slightly. Then, knowing he was in the clear, ran outside of the arcade. He hid at the back of the building between two garbage cans, snickering slightly. A green light surrounded his body, then consumed his physical being completely. Upon being absorbed into the green light, his physique changed from tall lean, to short and hunched over. His skin turned to green, and his brown eyes turned to blood-shot red.  
  
Chameleon, pleased with the deception he played upon the teenage brunette, brought his left wrist to his lips. Positive that no one would see him, he turned on his com unit and allowed Dragaunus's image to appear on the miniature screen.  
  
"Well? I hope you have useful information for me this time, Chameleon. I grow tired of waiting, and my patience grows thin."  
  
"Oh, I think you'll find this tidbit VERY useful," Chameleon smirked. "I think one of the duckies has a weakness. Related to ladies."  
  
"Don't you think I know that?!"  
  
"No; not the old, gray one. I mean the one with blonde hair; Wildwing's little brother. His human girlfriend's at this place. And she's got a good hand; she managed to swipe the wallet I swiped from some rich business man a few days ago."  
  
"Interesting," Dragaunus smirked, rubbing his chin to confirm his interest. "Keep an eye on her for a while longer. She might prove useful to our plans."  
  
"Sure thing, boss," Chameleon said.  
  
***  
  
Dragaunus turned off his communicator, smiling sadistically for his actions.  
  
Soon, he thought to himself, his evil smile growing. Soon, my dreams of conquest will finally come true. Then, this world and more to come, will belong to me. The Saurian Empire will live on!  
  
With that, Dragaunus broke out into an eerie and bone-chilling laugh that echoed throughout the walls of the Raptor.  
  
~To Be Continued 


	3. Danger Resurfaces

Gift of Renewed Friendship  
By: Julia DeLuca  
  
I LIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am SO sorry for keeping everyone waiting; but during my junior and senior year in high school, I've been VERY busy.and I just moved into my college dormitory, so time for stories have been short. But I'll try to work in time for my stories when I'm not in class, eating, working out, or studying. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 3: Enemies Resurface  
  
Jessica brought her large quantity of tickets to the prize booth and set them down. The employee, a brunette with bleached spikes and brown eyes, counted the tickets and placed Jessica's chosen prizes before her: a new backpack, a duffle bag, and four temporary tattoos with the leftover tickets.  
  
"That was an all time record you set there," the employee complimented. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone sink that many balls into those hoops that quickly."  
  
"Well, I was a famous basketball player in my middle school back in Chicago, so I'm pretty good at shooting hoops," Jessica states, smiling proudly. "You seem to know talent when you see it, don't you?"  
  
"Well, I am captain of the Boy's Varsity Basketball team down at UCSB. Got in there on a scholarship. Keep up that talent of yours, and you could too."  
  
"For real? I wouldn't have to get a job and save up?"  
  
"No, not at all," the employee assured. "Just make sure to study hard and get good grades in your school, and every major university in California will be banging on your door and offering you scholarships in exchange for playing on their team. Who knows; you may make it into the WNBA and play for the L.A. Sparks or something. I'll be here for the rest of the summer earning extra spending money, but if you wanna contact me outside of work to talk about this kinda stuff, here's my name and number."  
  
The spiky-haired employee wrote his name and house number on a blank sheet of paper and put it into Jessica's hands and smiled at her. Jessica smiled back, and strapped her newly won backpack onto her back and walked out, waving back at the employee. When she left the arcade, she glanced at her note.  
  
Simon Talakovsky. He seemed kinda cute. Too bad he's at least 6 years older than me. Her train of thought was suddenly broken by the growling of her stomach. Maybe I should've eaten at the pizzeria before I snuck off to the arcade; I'm starving! Her eyes caught glimpse of a burger stand at the food court. Or maybe a cheeseburger will do fine. Maybe if I'm lucky, I can order one with extra cheese, extra meat, and maybe some bacon on it! Heard that's a really good combo on a burger.  
  
With that, Jessica raced off to the burger stand.  
  
***  
  
Two girls, one with black hair and purple streaks, and another with blonde hair, were sitting on a bench outside an ice cream parlor eating away at their ice cream cones.  
  
"Nothing better on a hot afternoon than a double-scoop ice cream cone, especially when the scoops are big and in a waffle cone," said the blonde.  
  
"Enjoy this moment while you can," the streaked-girl said. "In a few weeks, we go back to UCLA."  
  
"Don't remind me. All those hard classes, those discussion labs, and block scheduling.it's a nightmare!"  
  
"Don't blame me!" the streaked girl argued. "You were the one who decided to major in Neuroscience and minor in Calculus."  
  
Before the blonde could make another comment, Mallory walked up to them. Each dropped their jaws in awe.  
  
"Hi girls," Mallory said, pretending not to notice their wide, open mouths. "I'm looking for a couple of kids. One.which I'm sure you would notice a mile away, is Nosedive. And he's with another kid. She's kind of short with untamed brown hair, big green eyes, and is dressed in a white shirt and ripped blue jeans."  
  
"Well," the blonde began. "I haven't seen Nosedive at all, but the little girl just ran by here about five minutes ago. She grabbed a large brownie sundae, practically wolfed it down without bothering to chew, and raced off to a shop. She went into Forever 21--"  
  
"Thanks," Mallory interrupted.  
  
"--but she left that shop 2 minutes later because I don't think she liked what they were offering. She went into a sports store, bought a few basketball jerseys, and left. She went left, to where I think she left to buy pants or something."  
  
"Thanks again," Mallory said again. She signed her name on 2 napkins for the girls as thanks for the needed information, then left. As she walked, she noticed a familiar blonde nearby the pizzeria and glowered.  
  
Why that irresponsible d*ckhead! Mallory cursed in her brain and stormed over to the pizzeria.  
  
***  
  
Nosedive broke his kiss off from Veronica's lips and smiled at her.  
  
"That was entertaining," he said. "But I really gotta go. I think I kept Jessie waiting a little too long."  
  
"Aww, don't go!" Veronica pleaded. "She can wait a few more seconds; I haven't seen you in ages!"  
  
"Well.alright you win," Nosedive surrendered. "I can resist those big eyes of yours when you're all pleady and stuff."  
  
"You should try to."  
  
"What? Who said th--AHHHH!!!" Nosedive screamed.  
  
"Yeah, it's good to see you too," Mallory stated sarcastically. "Quit swapping saliva with your bimbo--"  
  
"GIRLFRIEND!" Veronica snapped at Mallory.  
  
"Whatever. Point is, you should've waited for ME before you took Jessie here to the Mall, and NOT let her wander around this place by herself while on a sugar high as your girlfriend!"  
  
"Girl, you're nuts," Nosedive said. "Jessie's inside."  
  
Mallory stared at Nosedive's face, arms folded across her chest and tapping her foot. Suddenly unsure of what he said, he peeked inside the pizzeria and glanced around the building for a few minutes. He turned back to face Mallory, and smiled sheepishly at her. Mallory nodded and grabbed his wrist and dragged him away. Veronica just stood by and watched her boyfriend leave, filled with rage and annoyance.  
  
"DIVE!"  
  
"I'LL BE BACK; I PROMISE!"  
  
"YOU'D BETTER BE!"  
  
***  
  
In an alley behind a restaurant , two green blobs glowed behind a dumpster. They soon each took form, one round and orange, and the other tall and gangly. Siege, the large and hefty Saurian, took a remote-like device out from his belt and held it out. Wraith looked around and cringed and disgust of his surroundings.  
  
"Siege, why are we hiding here in this.dump? I thought we came out here to find that midget girl Lord Dragaunus demanded us to bring. Though I cannot imagine why he would need the help of some human teenage girl for his plans."  
  
"One, I don't know either, but it's better we go along with what he tells us to do instead of questioning him. Two, we wouldn't have to hide behind a dumpster if you would've just casted that Invisibility spell you say you have!"  
  
"I told you before; that spell would have taken hours to cast, and I need my scrolls to cast that spell and there was not any time to snatch them from my quarters."  
  
"Do me a favor and quit it with the excuses," Siege growled. He then smiled. "Got her! Sector 5...71 degrees to the northeast."  
  
***  
  
A small girl stepped out of a public restroom and smiled. Wearing a white shirt underneath a purple and a woman's teal green basketball jersey, followed by new blue jeans and white tennis shoes, she walked around.  
  
I don't see why people think that new clothes make you a new person, Jessica wondered. Oh well. Either way, it's nice to wear something I can officially label 'mine'. Probably been a while. Better get back to the pizzeria. Dive probably noticed I'm gone. I'll just tell him that I got bored of waiting for him and decided to get a head start. Not exactly a lie, since that was exactly what was on my mind.  
  
As the young teenager began to walk back to the pizzeria, she noticed something glimmer in the back. Curious, she walked closer and saw a pair of green eyes. She slowly walked closer, making clicking noises with her mouth while making a 'come hither' notion with her index finger.  
  
"Here kitty kitty," Jessica called to the green eyes. "Come here, kitty. I won't hurt you. Here, kitty kitty kitty. Here, kitty kitty ki--"  
  
When Jessica stepped right up to the dumpster, the green eyes came closer to her. However, the green eyes were not those of an alley cat. When they stepped closer, she saw the eyes have a large round shadow form around them. Gradually, as the shadow drew closer, they began to take on the color of orange.  
  
"HOLY CRAP! You ain't no kitty!"  
  
"No, I'm the guy that's gonna take you hostage!"  
  
As Siege made a grab for Jessica, she quickly bolted out of the way and ran off in the opposite direction she came. Siege growled an fidgeted with his teleporter.  
  
"Come on! We got to grab the little brat!"  
  
Wraith followed suite, and the two Saurians disappeared into the glowering green lights formed by their teleportation devices.  
  
***  
  
Jessica didn't dare look back as she continued to run through the huge crowd of people, nor did she care that people were staring at her or were angry at her for pushing them aside or knocking their stuff aside in her haste. All she cared about was getting as far away she could from those aliens as she could. In all of her haste, she didn't realize where she was going and ran smack into someone.  
  
"Move it, will ya! I hafta--uh-oh."  
  
When she looked up, she saw a familiar Avian with surfer-blonde hair and greenish blue eyes stare down at her, his facial expression a mix of annoyance and anger. Jessica slowly backed away and smiled up at him sheepishly. However, her innocent smile didn't cease or lessen Nosedive's firm stare at her. Instead, he looked even more angry.  
  
"Where the hell were you?!" Nosedive practically shouted at her. "Mallory and I have been searching for you for nearly the last hour and a half! You realized what I could've been doing instead of looking for you, even though I told you to stay at the pizzeria?"  
  
"Continue dribbling your saliva down that slut's mouth while you two tried to suck each other's mouths off?"  
  
Nosedive opened his beak to respond to Jessica's smart-aleck remark, but all that came out of his beak was silence. Mallory came up behind Nosedive and smirked.  
  
"I recommend closing that beak of yours before a fly decides to make that its new home," Mallory joked.  
  
"Very funny," Nosedive retaliated. "Point is--wait. Jessie, where'd you get those new clothes? And that backpack and duffle bag?"  
  
Before Jessica could open he mouth to respond, people were screaming and running all around in a crazed panic. Nosedive and Mallory looked up, and blinked in surprise and shock. Right in the middle of the mall stood Siege and Wraith, firing fireballs and laser blasts recklessly all over the place. Even though the blasts were nowhere near any possibility of hitting any bystanders or civilians, the events were shocking and frightening enough to scare everyone nearby and far away.  
  
"The Saurians!" Mallory gasped silently to herself.  
  
"But how? I thought we saw the last of them when Wildwing fired at their Gateway Generator three years ago!"  
  
"Shouldn't be too much of a surprise that they're still alive," Mallory said. "They lived at the bottom of the ocean for three years, and fish was plen--"  
  
Before Mallory could finish what she was saying, a laser blast came near her face and barely avoided grazing her cheek. She and Nosedive turned their attention to Siege and Wraith, who were in turn pointing their weapons at them. The two morphed into their battle gear, Jessica amazed at the sudden transformation.  
  
"Whoa! You guys are hockey stars AND warriors? SUPER cool!"  
  
"Dive, take Jessie to a safe and contact Wildwing and the others for back- up. I'll distract them until then."  
  
"What? No way!" Jessica protested. "Just give me a gun of sorts and let me shoot at them! I slayed aliens in Maximum Force and Area 51, AND--"  
  
"Dammit Jessie!" Nosedive yelled at her while shooting at Wraith. "This is NOT like an arcade game where you can just pop quarters in if you lose all your life points or something!" He then grabbed at the collar of her shirt and dragged her off, occasionally firing at Siege and Wraith. He then hid Jessie behind a bench. "Stay here keep out of sight until I say so, alright?"  
  
"But why can't I--"  
  
"Because I said so!" Nosedive said, running off.  
  
Geez, Jessica thought irritably. I would've expected that kind of bossiness from that red-head bitch, or Wildwing.but not him! He's supposed to be laid back and all Lucy-goosey!  
  
Jessica was so preoccupied with her thoughts and watching Nosedive and Mallory battle Siege and Wraith that she failed to hear teleportation sounds behind her. After taking form from the glowing green energy that temporarily surrounded his body, Chameleon made a grab for Jessica's face, attempting to keep her from screaming as he planned to take her captive. Unfortunately, Jessica heard the sounds and turned and grabbed Chameleon's wrists before he could do so. She then flipped him over her shoulder and sat on his back. Chameleon fidgeted and moved as hard as he could, but it was to no avail.  
  
"Sorry, you're gonna have to do be--WHOAH!"  
  
Before Jessica could finish what she had to say, Chameleon began to change form and transform under her body, causing her to rise above the ground. She quickly jumped off the moment he began to transform and turned around to face him. When she saw him in his Schwarzenegger-like ogre form, she was both amazed and terrified at the same time. She took in a large gulp of air as Chameleon slowly stormed towards her, cracking the knuckles of his now-large hands.  
  
"How would you your death to be, puny girly-human?" Chameleon asked in a low German accent. "Quick and painless, or slow and horrible?"  
  
"Ummm.can I go with none of the above?"  
  
Her courage suddenly returning, Jessica ran towards Chameleon and rammed her head straight into his abdomen. The green Saurian doubled over in pain, transforming back into his original form. As he clutched his stomach in a futile attempt to ward off the pain in him, Jessica grabbed a nearby fallen branch from a close by tree and smashed it onto his head.  
  
"OW!" he yelped in pain. "That hurts!"  
  
"Then feel it again!" Jessica yelled as she brought her arms down and smacked Chameleon's head with the branch again.  
  
"OW! OW! OW! OW!" Chameleon continued to scream as Jessica kept hitting him with the branch.  
  
***  
  
Nosedive quickly jumped over a planted tree and ducked behind the concrete that it was planted in. Completely flat on his stomach, he stumbled to re-load his puck launcher while lasers fired above his head. Just as he stuffed the last needed puck into his launcher, he quickly shuffled to the corner when he saw a fireball nearly hit him in his face. Wraith, towering over him with a ring of smoke around his feet, stood with a massive ball of fire in the palm of the scaly hand. "How I have longed for the taste of roast duck after surviving on fish for over three years," Wraith said as the fireball grew in size. "How shall I have you? Fried, or roasted?"  
  
Before Wraith could make up his mind, something hit him from behind. Something cold and icy, which quickly turned into evaporated water the moment it touched his robes. He turned instantly, snarling his fanged teeth at whomever fired that shot at him. However, his look of rage instantly tuned to that of fear once he saw who fired on him.  
  
"No! Not you!"  
  
"BRO! YA MADE IT!"  
  
Wildwing, leader of the Mighty Ducks, stood behind Wraith, bringing his left arm to his beak and blowing the smoke that seeped out of his recently-fired wrist launcher.  
  
"Step. Away. From. My. Brother," Wildwing snarled at Wraith, re- extending his left arm to prepare to fire another round of pucks.  
  
"Gladly," Wraith said, reforming his fireball. "Roasting you will be worthwhile much more than roasting the hatchling!"  
  
In all his time talking, Wraith had forgotten all about Nosedive. Which was convenient for the younger duck, because it gave him the perfect opportunity to attack. Forgetting all about using his puck launcher at the moment, he used his brief moment of opportunity to tackle Wraith, pummeling him to the ground. He then grabbed each of his wrists and forced his arms behind his back to keep him form moving.  
  
"Bro, hurry! I can't hold him still for very long! Use a bola puck on him; ANYTHING to keep him still!"  
  
While Nosedive and Wildwing kept themselves busy handling Wraith, Tanya, Mallory, and Duke formed a triangle around Siege. He snarled, but then smirked.  
  
"What's so funny?" Duke demanded.  
  
"You have no idea what you're up against," Siege said, throwing a circle of metal bombs around him.  
  
The bombs instantly exploded around Siege. However, instead of blowing him up like the others had expected them to, all they did was form a large shield of light around Siege's round body. The three ducks quickly covered their eyes with their arms to block the overly bright scenario before them. In doing so, they completely lost track on Siege's whereabouts when the lights died out.  
  
"Where'd he go???" Mallory asked, completely panicked as she abruptly turned left and right. Suddenly, something kicked Mallory from behind, the sheer force of the kick causing her to fly forward.  
  
"MALLORY!" Duke quickly raced over and caught Mallory before she could fall over. "You alright?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine," Mallory insisted. "Just point me to where that beach ball is and leave it at that."  
  
"Easy," Tanya stated. "He's heading right towards us!"  
  
As Siege racked over, ready to clobber the threesome, he was immediately checked to the side by the massive Grin, literally flying head first into a garbage can.  
  
"Acceptance to instinct leaves one lost in sense and good judgment," Grin said.  
  
Duke, Mallory, and Tanya just stared at Grin, completely bewildered by his statement. However, they had little time to wonder what he meant. Siege was slowly rising up, his legs wobbling slightly. Wraith, unable to wait for Wildwing to fire at him, chanted a spell that knocked Nosedive off of him and flew up against a tree.  
  
"NOSEDIVE!" Wildwing shouted, rushing over to him, momentarily forgetting about Wraith's presence.  
  
Wraith used the opportunity to regroup with his fellow comrade Siege, who had just managed to fully stand up and grab his gun from behind him. However, they each noticed that one of their companions was missing. Before one could ask the other where Chameleon was, they saw him running across, screaming like a baby as he was fired upon. When they looked back, they noticed Jessica firing Chameleon's laser gun at him, laughing insanely.  
  
"Look at me everyone!" Jessica laughed while shooting. "I'm a laser- totting Lara Croft!"  
  
"JESSIE!" Wildwing screamed at her. "STOP FIRING AND HIDE!!!!"  
  
"No way!" Jessica shouted. "I'm having fun here, and--oh no.."  
  
Jessica continued to press the trigger on the laser gun, but then realized that no more laser bullets were shooting out of the nozzle of the gun. She stared at the alien lizards, who smirked when realizing they had the upper hand. She screamed, and started to run the other way, forgetting that she still had the gun in her hand. As Siege ran towards her, he was instantly blocked by Tanya, Grin, and Nosedive. Wraith and Chameleon skidded to a halt as well. They looked back and realized that on the other side, they were surrounded by Wildwing, Duke, and Mallory. Realizing that the odds were not in their favor, they decided to retreat. Pressing the buttons on their communicators, a bright green light surrounded their bodies, slowly dematerializing into nothing until where the Saurians stood was nothing more than air and empty space.  
  
"Am I the only one who hates it when they do that?" Mallory grunted.  
  
"Definitely not," Wildwing confirmed. He then looked upwards. "Jessie, get down from that tree right now!"  
  
"No!" Jessica shouted. "I'm safe up here! From those lizards, and from you!"  
  
"Jessie, for once stop being a pain in the tail feathers!" Wildwing called out to her.  
  
"We're not the ones trying to kill you; we've been spending the last 2 hours fighting them off to PROTECT you, as well as everyone here!" Duke shouted.  
  
"If I come down, will you SWEAR not to go feral on me?"  
  
"Yes, I swear," Wildwing agreed, trying to keep his temper in check. "Just get down here!"  
  
With that, Jessica jumped from the tree she felt safe and secure in and stood before the leader.  
  
"First, why were they chasing after you to begin with?" Wildwing asked. "Nosedive said he saw you running from something."  
  
"Beats me," Jessica shrugged. "Aside from the fact that I kept hitting the green guy with the stick after trying to squash him because he tried to grab me.and shooting at him when his laser fell out of his belt.I don't have a clue."  
  
"Second, what's with all the gear on you?" Wildwing asked. "I don't remember you ever owning a backpack like that.OR that kind of duffle bag."  
  
"Won it at the arcade," Jessica defended. "It's pretty easy to win at the basketball hoop game if you've been playing basketball since you could walk."  
  
"Third, where'd you get the money for those clothes," Mallory asked.  
  
"You mean you didn't buy them with her?" Wildwing asked, slightly shocked.  
  
"No, she took off on me at the pizzeria earlier in the afternoon," Nosedive said.  
  
"Because I grew bored waiting for you to be done swapping saliva with that Armenian ho while you two were having a contest to see who can suck each other's lips off faster!"  
  
Wildwing and everyone else stared at Nosedive, who in turn was blushing a deep crimson pink color in his cheeks.  
  
"Uhh.can we change the subject please?"  
  
***  
  
Down in the Raptor, Wraith, Siege, and Chameleon looked up at Dragaunus as he bellowed in rage, the three huddled against each other. The force of his cry of rage was so great, that the entire ship was shaking. When he was done and the ship had ceased shaking, he snarled at his three henchmen, smoke coming out of his nostrils.  
  
"How can you have failed to have captured one measly human being?!" he demanded. "And not just any human being; a teenage girl who is the size of one who is ELEVEN!!!!"  
  
"Well, it didn't exactly help that she was with those ducks," Siege defended. "That made it difficult."  
  
"It's always those 'ducks'!" Dragaunus yelled. "You ALWAYS use them as an excuse for your failure!" Dragaunus then calmed down, the smoke ceasing to seep out of his nostrils. "But no matter. Just a minor setback in our plans. We'll just have to wait until she's alone.or at least away from the protection of those meddlesome mallards before we can grab her and use her."  
  
"Lord Dragaunus," Wraith humbly asked. "Why is it that we need the services of that human girl? Surely what you need done can be accomplished by our droids--"  
  
"In these certain situations, one cannot rely on machinery," Dragaunus countered. "As great and convenient as machines may be, they only do what they are programmed to do; they cannot think for themselves. And none of you can do this job because none of you can fit into our power grid.not even you, Chameleon," he grunted down at his small, green servant. "No. From what I've seen of that human girl, only she can do what I need her do. Her small stature and thin, lithe fingers are what is needed. Besides, if we take the human girl, the ducks will naturally come and rescue her like all foolish heroes do. And once we have all six of them where we want them." Dragaunus snickered softly to himself. "Well, I'm sure you all can imagine what I have in store for them. Then, when they are FINALLY dead and the Raptor soars once more, no one will be able to stop us from making Earth the corner stone of a new order. MY order!!!!"  
  
With that, Dragaunus laughed, and smiled evily, his fangs showing through his smile and his yellow eyes glowing.  
  
~To Be Continued~ 


End file.
